NOROVIRUS: HOCKEY PLAYERS ASKED NOT TO SHAKE HANDS

GANGNEUNG:One of hockey’s most time-honored traditions is in danger of not happening at the Olympics. Officials have told players to fist-bump each other rather than shaking hands to prevent transmission of norovirus, which is highly contagious. U.S. defenseman James Wisniewski’s 62-year-old father tested positive for norovirus last week and is one of 49 of 283 confirmed Olympic cases still in quarantine.

“It’s something that you’re like, ‘Ah, really how bad can it get?’ And then all of a sudden bang, bang - a couple people close to you have it and you don’t really know how, you don’t know where,” Wisniewski said Monday. “You don’t want it going through your locker room, that’s for sure.” That’s why players are taking precautions by fist-bumping instead of shaking hands. It’s particularly important for the Russian team because it’s customary for them to shake hands with everyone each day.

The US men’s team definitely isn’t shaking hands. Alternate captain Jim Slater even fistbumps media members before interviews. “It’s good,” Slater said. “I do it to everybody. Touching hands and stuff, you never know where hands are. Just being cautious.”

Women’s teams have decided to continue shaking hands, including the U.S. and Finland after their semifinal game Monday. Players know about the warning and decided the meaning behind the postgame ritual outweighs the risks.