IIHF President René Fasel said a decision over the participation of NHL players at Beijing 2022 will be made "at the end of the month" ©Getty Images

National Hockey League (NHL) players are expected to find out later this month whether they will be able to participate at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games.

International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) President René Fasel told Russian state news agency TASS that negotiations were still taking place with a decision set to be made "by the end of the month".

Last month, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman confirmed there would be a scheduled break in the 2021-2022 season to facilitate space for the Winter Olympics.

However, Bettman also claimed the league had "real concerns" over giving players permission to travel to China.

According to Match TV, all parties involved in discussions had agreed to allow NHL players to compete at the Games, but Fasel said they had yet to make a decision.

There were no NHL players involved in the men's ice hockey tournament at Pyeongchang 2018 ©Getty Images
There were no NHL players involved in the men's ice hockey tournament at Pyeongchang 2018 ©Getty Images

"Nothing has been decided at the moment," said Fasel.

"Nothing will be clear until the end of the month.

"We are discussing, negotiations are underway, there are difficult moments."

As part of the collective bargaining agreement between the NHL and the NHL Players' Association (NHLPA), players may compete at Beijing 2022 and the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics "subject to negotiation of terms acceptable to each of the NHL, NHLPA, and IIHF".

The International Olympic Committee and the IIHF must be in agreement with the NHL and the NHLPA before players can feature at the Olympics.

NHL players were absent from the Pyeongchang 2018 Games.

Bettman confirmed the new NHL season would start in mid-October, with the break for the Games set for February 5 to 22 in 2022.

The Beijing 2022 men's ice hockey final is set for February 20.