Team Canada makes its first controversial decision ahead of its Olympic tournament opener
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Photo credit: Leah Hennel/COC
Some decisions by Jon Cooper and Team Canada are generating quite a bit of buzz today, on the eve of the start of the Olympic tournament.
Just hours before the tournament gets underway, the Canadian team is finding itself under heavy criticism — not for its play, but for its off-ice decisions.
Two issues in particular are drawing attention: media access and player accommodations.
Let’s be honest: for media members who traveled across the Atlantic to cover the event, being shut out before even the first game is a major frustration.
Farewell to the Olympic Village for Team Canada
But the controversy does not end there.
The players themselves have made a decision that is dividing public opinion.
The leadership group of the team chose to leave the Olympic Village after only a few days, opting instead to move into a hotel.
“I don’t think we’re doing it as an insult or anything like that. We want to win gold, and we want to give ourselves the best opportunity to do so.”
– Canadian goaltender Logan Thompson
It’s a privilege that the vast majority of Olympic athletes cannot afford, and it’s a strategy that even the American team refused to adopt, choosing instead to remain at the heart of the action alongside the other delegations.
However, the Canadian players’ justification is clear: they are on a mission.
Nathan MacKinnon summed up the group’s mindset by stating that he is not in Italy to “enjoy himself” or do tourism, but solely to win gold.
Personally, I have no issue with these decisions, but be aware that they are generating a lot of reaction today.
Previously on Montreal Hockey Fanatics