MILAN, Feb 8 (Reuters) - NHL players from several nations have started arriving at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics for their first Games participation in 12 years but the International Olympic Committee is hoping they become a feature of future editions.
The participation at the event every four years for the players from the top-flight North American league is far from guaranteed, with NHL schedule disruptions for that month, contractual and insurance costs, owners' opposition and other issues having posed insurmountable obstacles in the past.
A deal last year between the NHL, the international ice hockey federation (IIHF) and the NHL Players' Association (NHLPA) paved the way for their Olympic return in Milan this year, the first time since the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics in Russia.
The IOC is now hoping this will mark the start of a continued presence at the Games.
"What we are doing is building a relationship... when it comes to the players they obviouslyhave been outspokenin wanting to participate," IOC sports director Pierre Ducrey told a press conference on Sunday.
"We believe in addition to having the best players here, allowing them to be on the biggest stage, we can generate more benefits to our respective organisations by working together."
The IOC considers the visibility the sport gets at the Games will help create a wider reach for the league internationally while also providing a major boost for the Olympics at the same time.
But there is no firm decision yet for a return of NHL players in 2030 at the French Alps Olympics other than a good basis to discuss it after Milan as part of their agreement last year.
"The agreement we signed for 2026 already talks about 2030. We really want to make this a relationship that spans over a longer period of time," Ducrey said.
"We feelthat is the right thing to do. That we collaborate together to ensure the best athletes in the world are not deprived the chance to be at every edition of the Games moving forward."
(Reporting by Karolos GrohmannEditing by Christian Radnedge)
