Canada's women's ice hockey team refused to take the ice for nearly an hour while they waited for the Russian Olympic Committee's Covid-19 test results.
Canada would go on to register a routine 6-1 win after players took the ice wearing masks due to "safety and security concerns" in a bizarre pandemic-inspired chapter to the Games.
"Russia's results from this morning weren't back in yet," said Canada forward Natalie Spooner. "In the past few days they've had a few positives and we just wanted to make sure their results came back and we were safe to play."
The ROC team skated onto the Wukesong Sports Center ice for the introductions but were left standing on the blueline as the Canadians failed to join them.
When the players returned an hour later both teams were wearing masks under their helmets.
ROC players, however, removed their masks for the third period while the Canadians continued to wear theirs.
All the Russian players ended up testing negative for Covid, according to Anna Shibanova, who hopes she'd never have to play in a mask again.
"It is not a nice feeling. There's not enough air."
