Legendary hockey goalkeeper Artūrs Irbe expressed his willingness to sacrifice his salary and face fines from the NHL for the opportunity to compete in the Olympic Games.
Artūrs Irbe, the legendary Latvian hockey goalkeeper and current national team coach, shared his bitter experience from the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City during an interview with Latvian Television. He revealed that the NHL's restrictions severely limited Latvian players, allowing them to participate in only a single game instead of the entire Olympic tournament, which he viewed as an unfair condition compared to what other teams experienced.
Irbe noted that while Latvian players faced this limitation, other teams like Switzerland benefited from more flexible conditions. Specifically, he pointed out that Swiss goalie David Abischer, who played for the Colorado Avalanche in the NHL, was allowed to join his national team for the entirety of the tournament. This disparity in treatment, according to Irbe, highlights the political aspects of sports decisions made by international bodies, particularly the influence wielded by the then IIHF president René Fasel, who was Swiss.
Reflecting on the situation, Irbe lamented the implications of such policies not just for individual players but for the representation of national pride on an international stage. His willingness to forgo his salary and accept fines underscores the deep commitment athletes have to their national teams, making the NHL's stance even more controversial in light of fairness and equality in international competition.
