Winter Olympics: Canada and ROC wear masks for women's ice hockey match

Canada beat the Russian Olympic Committee 6-1 in the preliminary round

Players wore face masks during an ice hockey match at the Winter Olympics that was delayed for nearly an hour by confusion over Covid-19 tests.

Monday's match between Canada and the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) started late because of "safety and security concerns" over pending test results.

Six ROC squad members had to isolate after testing positive last week.

"We wanted to make sure their results came back and we were safe to play," said Canada forward Natalie Spooner.

"Once they came back, we were comfortable. Our coaches and medical staff were not going to put us in a situation where we would not feel safe.

"This is probably a cool story in the long run. We can say we were at the Covid Olympics and we even wore a mask in a game."

• Follow Monday's live Winter Olympics action from Beijing

Four-time champions Canada, who have won a medal at every Olympics since the women's game was introduced in 1998, won the preliminary round match 6-1 at Beijing's Wukesong Sports Centre.

Forward Brianne Jenner said the Canadian squad danced to stay loose during the delay, adding: "We didn't know when the puck was going to drop, we just wanted to stay ready."

The International Olympic Committee said the teams had agreed "the match would start with both sides wearing masks".

The ROC wore masks for the first two periods but removed them during the third and final period, when it was reported their tests had come back negative.

ROC player Anna Shibanova said it was "not a nice feeling" to play in a mask, adding: "There's not enough air."

• Rugby Union Daily: Touch down and find all the latest news and action during the match weeks of the 2022 Six Nations

• 'Was it the greatest ever performance?' Listen to Steven Bunce tell the most extraordinary tales from Winter Olympics gone by