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SPORTS Saturday 25 March 2017
Bettman: Concessions needed for NHL to go to Olympics

ANDREW SELIGMAN national Ice Hockey Fed-
AP Sports Writer eration, Rene Fasel, said
CHICAGO (AP) — The In- Thursday he needs to know
ternational Olympic Com- by the end of April.
mittee and hockey’s gov- Asked exactly what the
erning body will have to league would need, Bet-
make concessions before tman said: “I don’t know.
the NHL sends the world’s It’s something I would have
best players to the Winter to go back to the clubs
Games in South Korea next on because the clubs are
year, commissioner Gary overwhelmingly negative
Bettman said on Friday. on the subject.”
“As things stand today, you Besides the three-week
should assume we’re not layoff and the possible in-
going,” he said. juries stemming from a con-
Bettman made it clear densed schedule, Bettman
at a breakfast with Chi- mentioned the expense
cago business leaders of sending players to the
that league owners don’t Olympics. The IIHF came up
want to stop their season with the $10 million neces-
for three weeks again and sary after the IOC indicat-
put their stars at risk of injury ed it would not cover the
without what they consider cost as it did in the past,
a tangible return. The reluc- including $14 million for the
tance is not new, but the 2014 Winter Games.
NHL has participated in ev- “The league isn’t anti- In this Feb. 11, 2017, file photo, Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8), of Russia, skates
ery Winter Olympics since Olympics,” Bettman said. during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Anaheim Ducks in Washington.
Associated Press
1998. “We’ve been to five of
“If nothing changes, I don’t them. The problem is the here in North America, of Bettman is scheduled to be not scheduled next sea-
see anybody participat- clubs are anti-disruption to doing it. We are shut out by next week. Fasel said it may son. Washington Capitals
ing,” Bettman said. “If the season. To disappear the Olympics.” be “difficult” for the league and Russian superstar Alex
somebody proposes some- for almost three weeks NHL Players Association Ex- to count on going to China Ovechkin has vowed to go,
thing that’s pragmatic, in February when there’s ecutive Director Don Fehr in 2022 if it skips South Ko- and he might not be the
that’s radically different, no football, no baseball, said players want to partici- rea. only one.
that gets the attention of there’s only basketball and pate. He sees a chance for “If that’s the IOC’s and “We’ll deal with that at the
the clubs where they say, us. To do it where there’s the NHL to build its fan base IIHF’s position, that’s their appropriate time if it comes
‘You know what, we don’t no programming for the in Asia, where the next two position,” Bettman said. to that,” Bettman said.
like going, but on balance NHL Network, for NHL.com, Winter Olympics will be “I’m not going to get into For now, he’s not slamming
it’s worth it because of for all of our social media held. a public debate with them. the door on the Olympics.
this,’ we’ll have to look at it platforms — we just disap- While the league isn’t par- They’re entitled to take But unless concessions
again.” pear.” ticularly interested in mar- whatever position they are made, he expects the
He said the league has no He added: “I can’t tell you keting in South Korea, it want.” world’s best players to suit
timetable to resolve the dis- that there’s been any tan- does have its eyes on Chi- The league could also be in up for the teams that sign
pute. The head of the Inter- gible benefit, particularly na and the 2022 Winter for a showdown with play- their checks — not their
Games in Beijing, where ers if an Olympic break is countries.q
Nadal advances to start

bid for 1st Key Biscayne

STEVEN WINE He’s playing the tourna- “Against Novak — 6-5, 15-
AP Sports Writer ment for the 13th time and 30,” Nadal said. “It didn’t
KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. (AP) has never won it, although happen.”
— Rafael Nadal’s first fist he was the runner-up in The Spaniard has always
pump Friday followed his 2005, 2008, 2010 and 2014. enjoyed the atmosphere
second point in the Miami At 0 for 12, it’s Nadal’s lon- in Miami, where Latin fans
Open, when he kissed a gest drought at any event, give him enthusiastic sup-
forehand off the sideline to and perhaps the most port, and he likes the tour-
win a long rally. glaring gap in the 14-time nament’s hard courts. He’s
He accompanied the cel- Grand Slam champion’s re- simply overdue. Rafael Nadal, of Spain, returns the ball to Dudi Sela, of Israel,
ebratory gesture with a skip sume. “I’m trying my best every during the Miami Open tennis tournament, Friday, March 24,
in his step and then hit the Does it bug him? He won’t year,” Nadal told the stadi- 2017, in Key Biscayne, Fla.
accelerator, holding every admit to any frustration, but um crowd after dispatching Associated Press
service game to beat Dudi lets slip that he still remem- Sela. “I’ve been very close Australian Open final, and overcame the occasional
Sela 6-3, 6-4. bers the exact score when four times. I will try to give again in the fourth round at errant groundstroke on a
Thus began Nadal’s latest he was two points from the myself another chance.” Indian Wells last week. windy afternoon.
bid to win Key Biscayne. title in the third set versus Nadal is 15-4 this year and Against Sela, Nadal served “It was very difficult to find
“A lot of big motivation,” Novak Djokovic. pleased with his play. He well, erased the only two the right feelings,” Nadal
he said. That was six years ago. lost to Roger Federer in the break points he faced and said. q