While the N.H.L. says in a statement issued on Wednesday that the league is “monitoring the progression of the flu” but has “not mandated specific precautions of courses of action” in the wake of H1N1 infections known to have struck four players from four different teams (Quintin Laing, Caps; Ladislav Smid, Oilers; Peter Budaj, Avs; and Doug Weight, Isles, now recovered), the International Ice Hockey Federation has issued specific guidelines for dealing with swine flu at the events it sponsors.
The I.I.H.F.’s swine flu recommendations include instituting “preventive measures to control infection during the championship (i.e., presence of alcohol-based washing gels or hand sanitizers, masks for infections, isolation of players with infections)”, encouraging the “use of flu vaccines for all participating players.” In case of outbreak, the I.I.H.F. advised the use of individual towels on the bench or the removal of towels altogether, individual water bottles for each player, and no handshakes after the game.
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A potential investor in the financially troubled Tampa Bay Lightning has decided to withdraw his bid, according to The St. Petersburg Times. “After careful due diligence and a thorough analysis of the terms and economics of the deal, we have determined that this investment does not meet our criteria,” Jeff Greene, a Miami Beach real estate developer, said in a statement.
