Players in North America's National Hockey League have refused to pay out of their own pockets to play in the next Winter Olympics.
The participation of the NHL players in the South Korean city of Pyeongchang in 2018 has been thrown into doubt after the International Olympic Committee said it would no longer cover insurance and travel costs, which have been widely estimated at around $US10 million ($A13 million).
"I understand from the IOC's perspective that they don't want to pay players to come," NHL players association boss Matthieu Schneider told South Korean media.
"But at the same time, players don't necessarily want to pay to come to the Olympics as well.
"It's certainly not something that can't be overcome. We're optimistic that it will all work out in the end. Players love playing in the Olympics. That's why we've participated in the last five Olympics."
Discussions over player participation hit a another roadblock last month after NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said the chances of the league shutting down to allow players to compete at the Olympics in the middle of the season were "dim".
