Not many Canadian athletes enjoy the same luxury as NHL players | Olympic Games

The 800-meter specialist traveled to the United States in search of decent races and conditions to meet Olympic standards. when job doneShe returned to Windsor, Ont., to her husband, young daughter, and the four walls of her home gym for two weeks.

This is not an ideal scenario, but it is the world we currently live in., she said before returning home from California.

The story is different for NHL players.

On Sunday, the federal government announced that it will offer Travel exemption during the NHL playoffsWhich means that the winner of the Northern Division, the Canadian Montreal or the Winnipeg Jets, as well as their next American opponent will be able to cross the border for the next round without having to undergo a 14-day quarantine.

Other sports organizations greeted the news with frustration.

I think of an athlete like Melissa, who had to fly to San Diego to get her Olympic qualification and then go back to quarantine. Dominique Gautier, co-founder of B2dix, a private Canadian group that helps elite athletes, said the impact on his training plan has been enormous. And now they’re doing this for the NHL? It is infuriating. I am frustrated by the athletes we support. This is the biggest insult from our government and I don’t care what reason you give us.

NHL protocols include pre- and post-departure testing to cross the border. Players are restricted to the hotel or arena. Canadian players can stay at home while they are in Canada.

Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino stated that the government Will listen to all other professional sports suggestions on a case-by-case basis.

Organizers of the FIBA ​​Olympic Qualifying Tournament, to be held in Victoria later in June, are awaiting a similar exemption. Clint Hamilton, chair of the championship’s steering committee, said the plan, which was prepared with the help of a regional health officer, must be approved by provincial and federal health officials.

The six participating teams, including Canada, are scheduled to arrive on June 25. Participants must then be tested and quarantined for two days.

Hamilton said they immediately go to a highly controlled and protected environment that consists of the hotel, the training site and the venue where the games are being held. They are followed and there are very strict protocols.

The winner of this tournament will participate in the Tokyo Games.

Meanwhile, the Canadian Football League teams, as well as the Toronto Raptors (NBA) and Blue Jays of Toronto (MLB) are scheduled to play their home matches in the United States.

Toronto FC defender Chris Mavinga wrote a tweet after the NHL exemption was announced. He was trying to convince the federal government that members of the Canadian MLS teams were fully immunized and wished to go home.

The Blue Jays play their home games in Buffalo, New York, after starting the season in Dunedin, Florida. Team boss Mark Shapiro argued last week that the easiest scenario is a return to Canada When the borders are open.

The Canadian men’s soccer team moved its first home game to Orlando in March in a bid to qualify for the World Cup. On Tuesday against Suriname, Canada will be based in Bridgeview, Illinois.

If Canada beat or tied Suriname, they would advance to the second knockout round on June 12 and 15. The Maple Leaf representatives are still scheduled to play the second leg in Bridgeview.

The winner of this second knockout round will advance to the final stage of the CONCACAF qualifiers, which will begin in September. Canada will face the seven teams on two occasions, which means there will be seven more home matches.

We desperately need to get that feeling back. Coach John Herdman insisted that the fans make a huge difference in our home matches. Although we may not have that experience, we know the country will be behind us. All we have to do is take part in these games in September, October and November. For this sport, this is a huge event.

Meanwhile, 46 days before the opening of the Tokyo Games, Gauthier hopes that athletes and sports organizations will use their voices to demand exemptions from quarantine rules. He maintains that if the quarantine is cut in half, it can still help prepare for the Olympics.

In some sports, you could spend a couple of weeks in a hotel room or in your own backyard and that would be fine. If you are a cyclist, you can train indoors. But in a lot of sports, it can be really bad to stay home for two weeks. It’s too bad and athletes have to say that in my opinion. I hope they do.

Quarantine could also prevent athletes from Olympic teams from seeing each other. Dave Bedford, president of Athletics Canada, has made it clear that athletes competing in the NCAA Championships, June 10-12, will not be able to complete quarantine before The Canadian Olympic Trials, which will begin on June 25 in Montreal.

Bedford suggested that 14 days alone would be unsustainable for athletes who would be competing within 50 days. It practically prevents these NCAA athletes from coming to the auditions. It’s really hard and I have a hard time understanding. When I look at the rules for NHL athletes, the only difference is that they apparently fly in private jets.

Eric Miles, the Canadian Olympic Committee’s athletic director, said in a statement that the Canadian Olympic Committee hopes the athletes are They will be allowed to isolate themselves in a training bubble while respecting all public health rules.