[Coach]

I agree it would be a sham from a Canadian perspective. I disagree that the nations that ended up winning would hold it in that regard. I think we're just going to have to drop this point and agree to disagree. Again, what if the Canadians were in it, Russia won gold and beat Belarus, Germany, Switzerland and the US along the way and Canada wasn't even in the medal round? Whats the difference? Canada would be an after thought. Does Sweden care that Canada was terrible in 06? No.

And when I say Sweden, I don't mean the team, I mean the people in the country.

I have no doubt that the Russian TEAM, would want to compete against Canada. I also have no doubt that even if they didn't, them and all of Russia would celebrate the gold just the same. We as Canadians might give it to them in a "yea of course you won, the best eam wasn't there," but I would expect nothing but a waving gold medal in return. Winning is winning. If people don't want to compete that's their problem. No one's to say how the tournament would have played out with them in it, because it doesn't matter. they weren't.

And to the issue at hand, staying out of the Olympics because of policies in Russia will do dick all to change any ideologies in the country and may even enforce them. "Ohh we don't have the same rules as Canada so they cried and didn't want to play, screw em" I think would be the overall Russia/European view.