NHL to decide Olympic future within six months

The NHL has announced that a decision on allowing its players to take part in the Olympics in the future will be made in the next six months.

North America's professional ice hockey league is on hold for two weeks to allow players to represent their countries in Sochi.

The league's deputy commissioner, Bill Daly, said: "It should not take all that long, but I would have said the same thing coming out of 2010.

"We will have a broader discussion with the players' association on international competition and what we are doing internationally.

"That discussion is under way so I would anticipate a quick resolution in respect to the Olympics, maybe six months."

The men's tournament got underway earlier today.