OlymPicks: Covid Seals the Deal, NHL Says No to Beijing 2022

In OlymPicks, we highlight news, gossip, and developments regarding the buildup to Beijing's 2022 Winter Olympics.

NHL officially closes the door on 2022 Olympics

Players from the world’s top professional hockey league will not be coming to Beijing for the Olympics, multiple news outlets are reporting this morning.

The North America-based National Hockey League  (NHL) made the decision on the heels of a COVID-19 outbreak that resulted in the postponement of multiple league games this week.

NHL players had not played in the 2018 Games, and many were looking forward to a return this year. In fact, not since 2014 has the league allowed its players to take a break from their regular season and compete in the Winter Olympics.

Meanwhile, the Russia-based KHL pro hockey league will send players, giving the Russian side a similar edge to the one they had in 2018 when NHL players were absent and Team Russia took home the gold.

Still no news on ticket sales

With just over six weeks to go before the start of the Games, there’s still no news on public ticketing. Though there are elaborate plans in place for allowing fans to participate safely with proper social distancing, it’s looking increasingly unlikely that any members of the general public will be able to attend.

That doesn't mean the stands will be empty: it could be that athletes, support staff, and volunteers at the games – all of whom will remain in the specially-designed closed-loop "Olympic bubbles" that keep Games personnel from mixing with the general public – will get access to watch events when they are not otherwise busy competing or working.

Want to stay on top of the latest ticketing updates? Join one of our Winter Olympics WeChat groups by adding WeChat ID: TBJButler and ask to join.

Curling field set

The last of the qualifiers for curling wrapped up last week and the field of competitors is now set. The sport has men’s, women’s, and mixed competitions for each – Canada and Sweden are historically two of the top teams.

Thirteen teams won slots in the competitions alongside China, which as host receives an automatic qualification. One of the last sides to qualify was Scotland – which is fitting as this is where the sport is thought to have originated. 

Here’s your guide to the who's who of Olympic curling (more details here at the World Curling Federation website):

Australia (Mixed)
Canada (Men's, Women's, Mixed)
China (Men's, Women's, Mixed)
Czech Republic (Mixed)
Denmark (Men's, Women's)
Scotland (Men's, Women's, Mixed)
Italy (Men's, Mixed)
Japan (Women's)
Norway (Men's, Mixed)
Russian Curling Federation (Men's, Women's)
Republic of Korea (Women's)
Sweden (Men's, Women's, Mixed)
Switzerland (Men's, Women's, Mixed)
United States (Men's, Women's, Mixed)

Speaking of curling, the Chinese name for the sport is amusingly 冰壶 bīnghú or “ice kettle” – a reference to the curling stone, which slightly resembles a kettle. And should you wish to add some binghu bling-bling to your mantelpiece at home, why not go for one of the curling accessories available at official Olympics licensed goods stores near you.

The commemorative curling stone featuring genuine shredded RMB 100 bills encased in some sort of acrylic resin comes in two sizes, priced at RMB 258 and RMB 888 each.

Get in the Winter Olympic spirit with these films

Haven’t caught the Olympic fever yet? Well, pump yourself up by watching one of these few-and-far-between feature films with Winter Olympics themes. Sadly for fans of Cool Runnings, the Jamaican bobsled team does not yet have a place at the 2022 Games; they need to both qualify and raise funds to pay for the trip. You can help out by bidding on one of the NFTs they've released as a fundraiser. Find out more at the team's official site here.

READ: OlymPicks: Key Takeaways From the Beijing 2022 Athletes' Playbook

Images: Pexels.com, JD.com