Jágr regrets fact so many Czech players unavailable for Worlds

The ice hockey star Jaromír Jágr says he regrets the fact that around two dozen Czech players from the NHL have declared themselves unavailable for the World Championship, which begins in Germany on Friday. Speaking after arriving at Prague Airport on Monday, Jágr said he did not want to judge the absentees, but said they may in time come to regard their decision as stupid. The forward, who is 38, signed a new contract with the Russian club Omsk on Sunday. The newspaper Sport reported that young Czech player Roman Červenka may choose to join Omsk rather than an NHL team, because of Jágr’s presence there.