The start of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo has been met with early challenges for Team Canada. The women's ice hockey team's opening game against Finland, originally scheduled for Thursday, February 6th, has been postponed due to a norovirus outbreak affecting the Finnish team. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced the decision after consulting with medical professionals, emphasizing the health and well-being of all participants as the top priority. The game has been rescheduled for February 12th at the Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena.
Adding to the setbacks, veteran Canadian snowboarder Mark McMorris has withdrawn from the big air qualifying event after a crash during training. The 32-year-old from Regina, Saskatchewan, was taken to hospital for evaluation on Wednesday. Brendan Matthews, Canada Snowboard's vice-president, reported that McMorris was released from the hospital and is "feeling good". McMorris will focus on the slopestyle event, where he has previously won three Olympic bronze medals.
McMorris expressed his gratitude to the medical staff and fans for their support. "Fortunately, things are looking good for slopestyle, so I'm staying positive and shifting my focus there,” he stated. Despite the unfortunate circumstances, the Canadian mixed doubles curling team of Brett Gallant and Jocelyn Peterman secured a 6-3 victory over Norway, providing a positive note for Canada.
The Canadian women's hockey team is the defending Olympic champion, having won gold in Beijing in 2022. General Manager Gina Kingsbury said that postponing the game was a responsible decision made in the spirit of the Games. The team will now prepare to face Switzerland, Czechia, and the United States in Group A play.
