4 months ago
The caput of nan International Ice Hockey Federation said parts of nan main lucky rink for nan Milan Cortina Olympics mightiness not beryllium afloat vanished connected time, but nan playing surface, believe accommodation and dressing rooms will beryllium fresh erstwhile nan puck drops for nan men’s arena connected 11 February.
“We tin beryllium assured connected that,” IIHF President Luc Tardif told reporters Monday astatine nan world inferior championship. “You’re not going to spell to Milano for nothing.”
Tardif added that nan main arena will not beryllium “exactly” what he expected successful position of capacity, pinch nan number of seats group astatine 11,800.
“That’s a small spot short,” he said, according to nan Canadian Press. “But it will beryllium a bully setup for nan Olympic Games.”
Construction delays and different concerns astir nan Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena and secondary Rho installation person drawn headlines for weeks pinch nan NHL returning to nan Winter Games for nan first clip since 2014 and nan women’s tourney opening connected 5 February.
The NHL has expressed interest astir nan building and besides nan value of nan crystal surface. NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said past period successful Winnipeg that nan convention will not nonstop its players if location are immoderate information concerns pinch nan ice.
The convention is sending its ain experts to Italy to guarantee nan crystal is safe. The installation features rinks smaller than NHL standards but still wrong IIHF standards.
Tardif noted nan IIHF isn’t overseeing building – that’s up to nan International Olympic Committee and section organizing officials – and tin do only truthful overmuch successful position of nan timeline.
Tardif said he will beryllium walking to Italy pinch officials from nan convention and nan NHL Players’ Association later this week for a trial arena astatine nan venue.
“I’m assured astir nan value of nan infrastructure,” he said. “We would person liked to slumber overmuch amended … I deliberation we will person a bully competition, but possibly you tin inquire maine nan mobility aft (this week).”
The NHL was caught disconnected defender erstwhile it became evident nan 2 rinks’ dimensions will beryllium somewhat wider and 3 feet shorter than what nan convention and International Ice Hockey Federation agreed upon. Daly said nan convention and NHLPA person reminded nan IIHF that they expect nan crystal aboveground to beryllium modular NHL size astatine nan 2030 Olympics successful France.
