Olympics: Austrian players fined & outed for breaking curfew and partying til morning

[Theokritos]

After prolonged flip-flopping the Austrian Hockey Federation has now made public the names of the players who broke the curfew at the Sotchi Olympics after the victory against Norway (February 16th). Several players missed the Team Bus at 23:00, some allegedly by accident, seven others because they were busy partying and drinking at the Austria Tirol House, reportedly until 2:30 when some of them were hardly able to speak anymore. Part of the group then went to bed while others kept on partying at a location called Sky Club til the morning hours. According to president Dieter Kalt, the seven are: Thomas Vanek, Michael Grabner, Michael Raffl, Rene Swette, Florian Iberer, Mario Altmann, Stefan Ulmer. The Federation had first fined the players without making their names public, against the initial statement.

According to defender Robert Lukas:

The next day there were several guys who were hardly able to skate properly while training.

Training was on Monday morning. Tuesday (February 18th) a decisive game against Slovenia was scheduled which Austria lost 0-4.

Coach Manny Viveiros:

We said: Boys, we have a historic game for Austria. Have a bit fun, eat and then home... I never thought that something like this happens when you have a shot at the Quarterfinals of the Olympics... We don't have any excuses for that to happen before such an important game.

In another interview:

I can't tell you how disappointed I am... In the last three years we have built up a team with a new identity. That has been destroyed in one night... To do something like that before what was probably the most important game in the modern history of Austrian hockey is really very disappointed. I'm very sorry for our fans in Austria.

Alpo Suhonen, Director of Sport:

Being drunk, not sleeping enough, that is reflexion of a bad attitude.

Defender Matthias Trattnig:

What has been built up in the last two years is destroyed again... the incident is inexcusable... Austria has had the chance to reach the quarter finals at the Olympics. That would have been like winning a gold medal... It's not acceptable that players are fully intoxicated three times in ten days.

Vanek, Grabner and Raffl have already apologized in an open letter after the Olympics.

Click to read more...

 

[Astoria]

Wow!

I understand wanting to celebrate... go out, have some fun... drink a beer or two. But to get to the point where you miss the next morning's bus or are not able to even "skate properly" during the next practice... I'm sorry, but that's just inexcusable.


I think these two quotes pretty much say everything that needs to be said:

I can't tell you how disappointed I am... In the last three years we have built up a team with a new identity. That has been destroyed in one night... To do something like that before what was probably the most important game in the modern history of Austrian hockey is really very disappointed. I'm very sorry for our fans in Austria.

LINK

Defender Matthias Trattnig:

What has been built up in the last two years is destroyed again... the incident is inexcusable... Austria has had the chance to reach the quarter finals at the Olympics. That would have been like winning a gold medal... It's not acceptable that players are fully intoxicated three times in ten days.

 

[Diatomic]

Funny thing was in the original thread a few months ago the majority of posters actually defended their idiotic actions.

 

[Astoria]

Funny thing was in the original thread a few months ago the majority of posters actually defended their idiotic actions.

I remember that... At the time, if I recall correctly, we really hadn't heard all the details. (At least I don't recall hearing about players not being able to skate properly or missing the bus.... Can't speak for everyone else.)

 

[tony d]

Yeah, Vanek should be a leader on that team, he should have known better.

 

[EbencoyE]

this is why I like the WHC where most of the primadonna NHLers who are "too cool" (read: too rich) to take international hockey seriously don't bother showing up

 

[londonHK]

this is why I like the WHC where most of the primadonna NHLers who are "too cool" (read: too rich) to take international hockey seriously don't bother showing up

But most "primadonna NHLers" who played for other national teams at Sochi DID take it seriously, so I don't think it's the NHLers themselves, by virtue of being NHLers, who were the problem. After all, it's pretty obvious how seriously the Team Canada NHLers took the Olympics. Almost all Canadian NHLers would have given just about anything to get on the team, and those who made it recognized what an honour it was to be selected, how much it meant to the country to win gold and what an enormous responsibility they had to play well and represent their country well. I think it was during the Sochi episode of NHL Revealed that a bunch of Team Canada guys said they just grabbed some McDonald's after the big Canada/USA game before going home - definitely no crazy partying there, because they knew they still had a big game coming up and they wouldn't be able to let loose until the tournament had ended. Those guys were complete professionals in Sochi, and I'd say the same for the other NHLers on other national teams too (USA, Sweden, etc.).

The problem in this case seems to be more that certain Team Austria members, NHLers and non-NHLers, did not take their own national team seriously enough to give the tournament the dedication and commitment that's required to be a contender in hockey at the Olympics, or even just to represent their country well on the international stage. I don't know if this is because hockey is not as big a deal in Austria as other sports like alpine skiing, or whatever else (and I don't want to make up assumptions about Austrian culture), but I really don't think "primadonna NHLers" were the problem here.

 

[Caje]

Absolutely pathetic. These players are an embarrassment to themselves and to their country. I feel bad for the Austrian players that did take their responsibilities seriously, because they are the ones who really suffered.

But most "primadonna NHLers" who played for other national teams at Sochi DID take it seriously, so I don't think it's the NHLers themselves, by virtue of being NHLers, who were the problem. After all, it's pretty obvious how seriously the Team Canada NHLers took the Olympics. Almost all Canadian NHLers would have given just about anything to get on the team, and those who made it recognized what an honour it was to be selected, how much it meant to the country to win gold and what an enormous responsibility they had to play well and represent their country well. I think it was during the Sochi episode of NHL Revealed that a bunch of Team Canada guys said they just grabbed some McDonald's after the big Canada/USA game before going home - definitely no crazy partying there, because they knew they still had a big game coming up and they wouldn't be able to let loose until the tournament had ended. Those guys were complete professionals in Sochi, and I'd say the same for the other NHLers on other national teams too (USA, Sweden, etc.).

The problem in this case seems to be more that certain Team Austria members, NHLers and non-NHLers, did not take their own national team seriously enough to give the tournament the dedication and commitment that's required to be a contender in hockey at the Olympics, or even just to represent their country well on the international stage. I don't know if this is because hockey is not as big a deal in Austria as other sports like alpine skiing, or whatever else (and I don't want to make up assumptions about Austrian culture), but I really don't think "primadonna NHLers" were the problem here.

Agreed. This was an isolated incident from one team (of twelve) and does not represent the majority of NHLers or hockey players. The vast majority of players took this tournament incredibly seriously, just because there are a few bad apples doesn't mean you should condemn them all.

 

[vitogor]

I remember watching the Austria-Slovenia game and thinking that something is not right with Vanek and Grabner. They were outskated, outplayed, and outworked by the Slovenians. I guess severe hangover will do that to you.

 

[Xokkeu]

But most "primadonna NHLers" who played for other national teams at Sochi DID take it seriously, so I don't think it's the NHLers themselves, by virtue of being NHLers, who were the problem. After all, it's pretty obvious how seriously the Team Canada NHLers took the Olympics. Almost all Canadian NHLers would have given just about anything to get on the team, and those who made it recognized what an honour it was to be selected, how much it meant to the country to win gold and what an enormous responsibility they had to play well and represent their country well. I think it was during the Sochi episode of NHL Revealed that a bunch of Team Canada guys said they just grabbed some McDonald's after the big Canada/USA game before going home - definitely no crazy partying there, because they knew they still had a big game coming up and they wouldn't be able to let loose until the tournament had ended. Those guys were complete professionals in Sochi, and I'd say the same for the other NHLers on other national teams too (USA, Sweden, etc.).

The problem in this case seems to be more that certain Team Austria members, NHLers and non-NHLers, did not take their own national team seriously enough to give the tournament the dedication and commitment that's required to be a contender in hockey at the Olympics, or even just to represent their country well on the international stage. I don't know if this is because hockey is not as big a deal in Austria as other sports like alpine skiing, or whatever else (and I don't want to make up assumptions about Austrian culture), but I really don't think "primadonna NHLers" were the problem here.

He's saying the primadonnas don't show up to the WHC, not that NHL players are primadonnas.

 

[londonHK]

He's saying the primadonnas don't show up to the WHC, not that NHL players are primadonnas.

But what's the relevance of pointing out that the primadonnas don't show up to the WHC in a thread about certain Team Austria hockey players' behaviour at the Olympics, unless he's trying to say that this Team Austria incident has something to do with primadonna NHLers? I understand that he's not saying that all NHLers are primadonnas, but is he saying that Vanek, Grabner, etc. are primadonna NHLers? My point, and I should I have made it clearer, was that I don't think NHLers who are "too rich" to take international hockey seriously (his definition of "primadonna NHLers") were the problem, considering how many superstar NHLers on other national teams were at the Olympics clearly taking the tournament very seriously.

 

[hyster110]

i did then and i still think it was very irresponsible for the players to go out partying when they knew they had a big game to play

 

[HabsQC]

i did then and i still think it was very irresponsible for the players to go out partying when they knew they had a big game to play

Guy Lafleur smoked between periods, so what

 

[f1nn]

Guy Lafleur smoked between periods, so what

That's a good point.. If I was gm I'd make it mandatory to smoke a pack a day because Guy did and he was good

But lettuce be cereal, these guys should be embarrassed.. extremely unprofessional behavior and disrespectful to your fans

 

[KarmaPolice]

Guy Lafleur smoked between periods, so what

There's a big difference between having a smoke and drinking until you're severely intoxicated in the middle of the Olympics and still have games to play. It's incredibly unprofessional, IMO.

 

[SwissLeaf]

It's funny, but not very professional.

 

[albator71]

I remember watching the Austria-Slovenia game and thinking that something is not right with Vanek and Grabner. They were outskated, outplayed, and outworked by the Slovenians. I guess severe hangover will do that to you.

It would be a shame if that incident takes anything away from the victory for Slovenia. Slovenia deserve that win a 100% no matter what happend with Austria.