Amid concerns that China's men's hockey players are not good enough to compete on home ice in next year's Winter Games, veteran amateur players in Beijing are bracing for a rough ride but still hope they can see the team in action.
China's women's team is internationally competitive, but the men would be unlikely to join the Beijing Olympics in February without the automatic spot granted to host nations.
The International Ice Hockey Federation has been evaluating China's Olympic hopefuls, who are playing in Russia, and will decide on Nov. 25 whether they will participate, after raising concerns over an "insufficient sporting standard."