Five members of Canada’s Olympic delegation were placed under COVID-19 protocols upon arrival in Beijing — although it’s unclear whether than means they tested positive and are in quarantine.
The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) said it would not be sharing names “because there will likely be persistent shedders,” meaning people who continue to test positive for the virus long after their initial diagnosis.
“We are following the Beijing 2022 playbook rules,” COC said a statement. “Part of our strategy was to arrive early to allow time for confirmation testing and, if necessary, the medical expert panel process to unfold.”
The full Canadian delegation currently on the ground in China consists of 246 people. The COC did not specify whether any of the 215 athletes on the team were in protocols. Canada is bringing a delegation of around 600 people to the Games, including athletes, coaches and staff.
WATCH | Canadian athletes arrive in Beijing:
Canadian athletes arrive in Beijing for Winter Olympics
1 day ago
Duration 1:38
With the Winter Olympics set to begin in a few days, Canadian athletes have begun arriving in Beijing in preparation for the Games. 1:38
The COC said it would work with athletes to release specific names in the event a positive test makes them unable to compete. It plans to release daily updates on the number of team members in protocols.
“Our success at the Games will be measured by the health and safety of Team Canada and on the ability for athletes to step on the field of play and live out their dreams,” said Eric Myles, the COC’s chief sport officer, in a press release.
“We look forward to the incredible and inspiring stories that will come from these Olympic Games.”
Athletes were required to provide two negative COVID-19 tests within 96 hours of boarding the plane to China, plus one more upon arrival. Much of the Canadian contingent began to arrive in Beijing on Thursday.
On the flights, athletes were grouped together by sport in order to remain within the bubbles in which they’ve been living and training. There were empty seats between each athlete and an empty row between sports, since those within two rows of someone who tests positive count as “close contacts,” per the Olympic playbook.
The opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics takes place next Friday, with competition slowly starting earlier in the week.
3rd-largest Canadian Winter team ever
The 215-athlete team marks Canada’s third-largest for a Winter Games.
It’s led by short track speed skater Charles Hamelin, who at 37 is set to compete in his fifth and final Olympics.
The decorated athlete from Sainte-Julie Que., is one of 45 Olympic medallists on the team looking for another trip to the podium. With one more medal, Hamelin would tie fellow speed skater Cindy Klassen as Canada’s most decorated Winter Olympian and Andre De Grasse as the country’s most decorated male Olympian. Two medals would push Hamelin into a tie with Penny Oleksiak for most won by a Canadian Olympian.
Charles Hamelin, seen above in November, is aiming for his sixth career Olympic medal in Beijing. (Zsoly Czegledi/The Associated Press)
Of the athletes heading to China to compete, 106 identify as female, the most ever in Canadian Winter Olympic history.
Sixteen-year-old snowboarder Brooke D’Hondt will be the youngest athlete competing for Canada at the games and is among 117 who will be making their Olympic debut.
Curler Jennifer Jones, who won gold in 2014, is the oldest Canadian athlete at 47 years of age.
“Getting to my first Olympics was a dream come true, so to have a chance to play again, and wear the Maple Leaf, is a privilege and one that I’ll never take for granted,” Jones said.
Ontario will be best represented on Team Canada with 60 athletes, with Quebec not far behind with 57.
Alberta will have 40 and British Columbia is sending 32.
No other province or territory will have double-digit athletes. Manitoba has nine, Saskatchewan has six, Nova Scotia has four, Newfoundland and Labrador have three, and New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Yukon each have one athlete.
Nunavut and the Northwest Territories do not have an Olympic representative and one athlete, figure skater Keegan Messing, was born outside of Canada (Alaska, United States).
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
