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Gretzky turns focus from gambling to Games

Posted on: Monday, 13 February 2006, 19:28 CST

By Rachelle Younglai

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario (Reuters) - Wayne Gretzky deflected questions about illegal gambling on Monday and tried to turn the focus to the Canadian ice hockey team's quest for gold at the Turin Olympics.

"I'm not involved and it's been a hard week for my family," Gretzky told reporters after the Canadian team gathered for a workout outside Toronto before catching a Monday night flight to Italy.

"The focus I have right now is this hockey team and getting ready for the Olympic Games. The focus should be on these athletes."

Gretzky, who is executive director of Team Canada as well as head coach and part-owner of the NHL's Phoenix Coyotes, said his presence in Turin would not be a distraction as his job "is just to support them."

"It's different in the NHL when you're there day to day. Athletes in the Olympic Games are pretty isolated," he said.

Rick Tocchet, a Coyotes assistant under Gretzky, was charged last week by New Jersey authorities with financing a gambling ring that took in more than $1.7 million in bets over a six-week investigation dubbed "Operation Slap Shot."

Gretzky's wife, actress Janet Jones, has been implicated as a heavy bettor with the ring.

But Gretzky, widely considered the sport's all-time greatest player, said he had no role in the ring.

"There's no story about me, that's what I keep trying to tell you, I'm not involved," he said.

Canada are favoured to retain the Olympic ice hockey title after ending a 50-year drought four years ago by winning the crown at the Salt Lake City Games.

The team will have just one more practice in Italy before opening their Olympic defense against the host country on Wednesday.

Gretzky, who assembled the squad, said his team will be fine and that he was hopeful for a gold-medal encore. "It's simple as that," he said.

Pat Quinn, Team Canada's head coach, reiterated Gretzky's sentiment and said the scandal "was not going to affect us at all," though he stopped short of predicting gold.

"We're not going to get (the gold medal) just because we want it," said Quinn, who is also head coach of the NHL's Toronto Maple Leafs.

"We have to be able to put our minds to becoming a team, that's really what's going to have to happen ... The group that comes together as a team probably the quickest has the best chance."

Source: REUTERS

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