Port AlberniB次元官网网址檚 Rob Shick is in Beijing, China for the 2022 Winter Olympics.
The National Hockey LeagueB次元官网网址檚 senior officiating managerB次元官网网址攁nd former Port Alberni residentB次元官网网址攈as been in Beijing for more than a week now, helping out the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) with some new officiating rules.
Shick is one of two NHL employees sent to Beijing this year. ShickB次元官网网址檚 role is to help the IIHF oversee the officiating and advise during menB次元官网网址檚 hockey games. The IIHF, explained Shick, has a new, modified rulebook this year.
B次元官网网址淭here are lots of things in there like coaches challenges, video challenges that IB次元官网网址檓 helping out with,B次元官网网址� Shick said. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 making sure the checks and balances are in place.B次元官网网址�
For Shick, who is a former NHL referee, this will be his third time participating in the Olympic games. He also played a role in the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver and the 2014 Olympics in Sochi. It was B次元官网网址渜uite an honourB次元官网网址� to be asked to take part in the Beijing Olympics, said Shick.
But itB次元官网网址檚 definitely the most unusual Olympic tournament Shick has taken part in.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e in a bubble here,B次元官网网址� explained Shick. B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 no contact with any of the Chinese people.B次元官网网址�
A 34-hour flight from his home in Florida saw Shick land in an airport B次元官网网址渢otally isolatedB次元官网网址� from the rest of the public. Shick is currently staying at a hotel in Beijing, but has very few interactions with other people. Workers are dressed in hazmat suits, and some of them have been replaced by talking robots that disinfect the hotel rooms and serve food.
Olympic participants even have their own private lane on the highway for travelling to and from venues.
B次元官网网址淭hey take COVID-19 very seriously here,B次元官网网址� said Shick. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 been an interesting experience to say the least. I have my room service brought up by a robot,B次元官网网址� he added with a laugh.
B次元官网网址淲e see the architecture from the bus and itB次元官网网址檚 beautiful. But getting out and doing any site-seeingB次元官网网址攖hatB次元官网网址檚 not possible.B次元官网网址�
This is ShickB次元官网网址檚 second time inside of a B次元官网网址渂ubbleB次元官网网址� for hockeyB次元官网网址攈e also participated in the NHLB次元官网网址檚 COVID-19 restart in summer 2020.
Shick said he is looking forward to returning to Port Alberni this summer, when the annual Charity Golf Classic returns to the Alberni Golf Club for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic was declared.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檒l have lots of stories to share,B次元官网网址� he said.
elena.rardon@albernivalleynews.com
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