51.   Many European leagues have recently said its clubs will not release its star players for the tournament because it conflict with their schedule.

52.   Many of its players have become stars in the European leagues, and European Champion Ajax also has Nigerians on its squad.

53.   Most of the marquee players headed to Sweden and Finland, the two leading European leagues.

54.   More and more Americans are playing in top European leagues.

55.   Nakata is considered one Japanese player who has a strong chance of receiving an offer from a European league.

56.   Olowokandi, a Nigerian citizen, is trying to get a British passport so he can be excluded from a European league rule limiting teams to two foreigners.

57.   Only a few Chinese players have experience in European leagues where competition is most intense.

58.   Only a complete failure by Auxerre would keep them from taking the championship and gaining entry into the Champions League, reserved for winners of the European leagues.

59.   Saudi Arabia was also worried given the commitments of its national players who star in European leagues.

60.   Rickard Fagerlund, president of the Swedish Ice Hockey Federation, said a European pro league is long overdue.