Beijing, Feb 1 (IANS): An exhibition game between Canada's Olympic men's ice hockey team and Switzerland was cancelled on Tuesday after Swiss Christian Marti tested positive for Covid-19, the Swiss Ice Hockey Federation said.
"A case of Covid-19 was detected on the Swiss team and in order to avoid any additional risk for both teams, the friendly against Canada scheduled for tonight must be cancelled," said the Swiss federation in a statement.
Canada will open their campaign against Germany on February 10 while Switzerland will face the Russian Olympic Committee in their first match on February 9 in the Beijing Winter Olympics.
Earlier, Huang Chun, deputy director-general, China's Olympics Pandemic Prevention and Control Office said that the Covid-19 situation at the Beijing Winter Olympics is within the 'controllable range'.
"As more people are entering China the imported Covid-19 cases are increasing, but it is within the controllable range," Huang said in a news briefing on Tuesday.
"The Covid-19 situation is generally within our expected controllable range. So the Games participants, including athletes, and the Chinese public do not have to worry," he added.
However, Huang said rising cases were also a result of more effective and accurate Covid-19 detection techniques by customs. He said Olympics organisers were not considering any major changes to Covid-19 control policies at the Games.