MOSCOW, Sep 27 Czech Republic to let Russian National Hockey League players into the country ( NHL) for exhibition matches on previously issued Schengen visas, said Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky, whose words are quoted by isport.cz with reference to the Czech news agency. Earlier, Deputy Foreign Minister of the Czech Republic Martin Smolek said that the office had warned the NHL about a possible ban on entry into the country for Russian citizens for exhibition matches between the San Jose Sharks and the Nashville Predators. Russian forwards Alexander Barabanov and Yevgeny Svechnikov play in the «sharks», Yakov Trenin plays for the «predators». On Thursday, a source said that the NHL has an agreement to hold exhibition matches in the Czech Republic and does not expect obstacles to the participation of Russian hockey players in them. If they arise, the league will not play scheduled matches in the Czech Republic, and the clubs will play at home. «It is still true that Russian players cannot obtain visas in the Schengen area. If they already have valid visas, they must be admitted , but given the current negotiations, there may still be changes in this matter,» Lipavsky said. The NHL season starts with meetings within the Global Series in Prague on October 7 and 8.
