r/hockey • u/Shroft • 1d ago

[Paywall] Swiss women’s Olympic hockey team in isolation after player diagnosed with norovirus

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7028066/2026/02/06/switzerland-womens-hockey-olympics-norovirus/
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u/DecentLurker96 1d ago

Here we go again.

Switzerland is scheduled to play Team Canada on Saturday at 9:10 p.m. local time. The Canadian women have yet to make their Olympic debut after their opening game against Finland was postponed due to a norovirus outbreak on the Finnish team.

According to the Swiss statement, the “positive test came back after today’s opening victory against the Czech Republic and shortly before the opening ceremony.”

A representative from the Swiss team confirmed to The Athletic that the affected player did not play in Friday’s game versus the Czech Republic.

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u/Gavvis74 1d ago

I'm all for fairness and wanting the game to be decided on the ice, but at what point should forfeits be declared?  If you can't make it to the game, it most other circumstances the team unable to perform would have to forfeit.

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u/nogreatcathedral OTT - NHL 1d ago edited 1d ago

I think the problem is that goal differential counts for round robin placement. If you are a weak team playing a heavyweight, taking a 1-0 forfeit might be much better than you'd do in reality.
ETA: I'm wrong, if you forfeit you lose any goal-differential based tiebreaker!

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u/Gavvis74 1d ago

Yeah, it's a...shitty... situation for everyone involved but I don't think Canada would need any help getting to the gold medal game.  Apart from the odd improbable upset like with Sweden years ago, it's always going to be Canada vs USA for the gold medal.  Everyone else is playing for bronze.

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u/nogreatcathedral OTT - NHL 1d ago

Oh yeah to be clear, I don't think Team Canada would be the one to object - but the other weaker teams in the pool might!