HELSINKI, Finland ● Rene Fasel is more than happy to wait for the NHL to make a decision on whether it will send its players to the 2014 Olympics.
The president of the International Ice Hockey Federation was much quieter on the issue of the Sochi Games than he has been in the past during his annual state of the union session to conclude the world championship.
“I’ve always said our door is wide open,” Fasel said Sunday. “That’s in their hands. Our door is wide, wide open. That’s their decision to make, if they want to come or not.”
Fasel has angered NHL commissioner Gary Bettman in the past with his comments about the need for the top players to participate in a fifth straight Olympics. With the league soon expected to open collective bargaining talks with the NHL Players’ Association, Fasel clearly wanted to avoid making any headlines.
The pervasive feeling around the world championship was that the strong desire of NHL players to participate would ultimately ensure that it happens, with one well-placed source saying “there’s no chance” the league would pull out. It’s also thought that the NHL’s relationship with NBC, which broadcasts the Games in the U.S., is another motivating factor behind going to Russia.
However, concessions will have to be made — as Bettman made abundantly clear in a memorable press conference with Fasel at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver. The league wants more control over the organization of the event and will seek better access for its media platforms, among other things.
Fasel is also a member of the International Olympic Committee, but wouldn’t speculate Sunday on whether that organization was prepared to satisfy the NHL’s demands.
“We will wait and once they make the decision to come, we will sit at the table and make the important decisions,” said Fasel.