Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, October 18, 1994 TAG: 9410180111
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: From Associated Press reports
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
In a complete turnaround from an earlier policy statement, the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) has told its member federations they can sign NHL players.
The reversal was relayed to IIHF members on Monday by fax.
In it, IIHF president Rene Fasel of Switzerland said he had received clarification from NHL commissioner Gary Bettman on the issue.
``Last week we circulated a letter that according to the existing agreement between the IIHF and the NHL there are no possibilities for a player under contract with an NHL club to play ice hockey within the IIHF,'' said Fasel's fax. ``However, we have now received a written confirmation from the NHL commissioner, Mr. Gary Bettman, with the following information:
``During the current labor dispute, the NHL will not take any steps to prevent NHL players from playing elsewhere and that our recent agreement does not cover the situation.
``This means the NHL does not consider it as a violation of our agreement if a player who is under contract with an NHL club during the labor dispute plays within the IIHF.
``In accordance with this information, there is no formal reason for the IIHF to stop temporary transfers from the NHL to the IIHF even if the player has signed a contract with an NHL club.''
Meanwhile, the numbers continued to mount in the postponed NHL season with seemingly no quick solution in sight to the labor dispute between the league and its players.
``Considering they rejected our last proposal, and their current position, there's not much to talk about,'' said Bob Goodenow, executive director of the NHL Players Association.
The league has been in a holding pattern since Oct. 1, the original starting date of the season. That was first postponed by Bettman in hopes of reaching a new collective bargaining agreement with the players by Oct. 15.
The deadline passed, following a rejection of the latest players' proposal by the owners last Tuesday.
Bettman and Goodenow haven't spoken since. NHL spokesman Arthur Pincus said Monday there were no new negotiations planned at this point.
There still was no word whether the 93 postponed games would be rescheduled and that the entire 84-game schedule can be salvaged. The league hasn't officially canceled any games, but has announced that a formal policy regarding ticket refunds would be issued Nov. 1 if no contract was reached by then.
by CNB