[LINK] "Russians may be sanctioned for O Canada snub"

[rfmcdonald]

CBC shares the Associated Press' report about the latest Russia-Canada contretemps. The sad thing is that I don't necessarily believe the Russian statements that this was accidental. You?

Russian news agency TASS reported the Russian team is facing sanctions after players left the ice before O Canada. The Canadians crushed Russia 6-1 in Sunday's gold-medal game, and most of the Russians quickly departed for the dressing room, a breach of the sport's etiquette.

"Once we arrive back home after the world championships we will look into this question and we will get in touch with those in charge at the Russian Ice Hockey Federation," IIHF president Rene Fasel said in the statement to TASS.

"The IIHF has its own protocol and some sort of punishment will be handed down."

According to TASS, Alexander Ovechkin, Evgeni Malkin, Viktor Tikhonov and Dmitry Kulikov were among the few players who remained on the ice for the anthem.

Russia's general manager Andrey Safronov called the incident "a shame."