Swiss defenceman Christian Marti tested positive for COVID-19 in routine testing, according to a statement from the Swiss Ice Hockey Federation.

The statement read: "The Swiss national team was scheduled to face Canada on Tuesday evening at 6pm in Cham in what would have been their last friendly match before departing for Beijing.

"During a routine COVID-19 screening, however, Christian Marti tested positive today.

"Consequently, the ZSC Lions defender is forced to leave the camp.

"Following this positive case and in order not to take any additional risk for the two teams, Swiss Ice Hockey has decided, in agreement with Hockey Canada, to cancel this match."

Swiss Ice Hockey Federation confirmed the team will fly to Beijing tomorrow as planned.

Marti will not form part of the squad, with the organisation expected to name a replacement for the 28-year-old.

It will be the third enforced change to Switzerland’s squad for the Games, with goaltender Joren van Pottelberghe and forward Sven Senteler having been replaced due to positive tests on Sunday (January 30).

Swiss Ice Hockey said Sandro Aeschlimann and Calvin Thürkauf were selected as their replacements.

Swiss Ice Hockey have a "Taxi Squad" on standby for the Games, which could be called upon to travel depending on the situation.

Sweden have also been forced to make late changes, with Emil Djuse and Erik Gustafsson having been ruled out of the Games.

The duo were replaced by Theodor Lennstrom and Philip Holm.

The Czech Republic's men's ice hockey team has also been impacted, with website iSport reporting that Šimon Hrubec and Patrik Bartošák have been unable to fly to Beijing 2022 yet.

Roman Will is currently their only goalkeeper on route to Beijing 2022.

Beijing 2022 will hope to avoid a repeat of last month’s World Junior Championships in Edmonton and Red Deer in Canada.

The ice hockey event saw three matches forfeited due to COVID-19, leading to the International Ice Hockey Federation cancelling the event.

Regulations for the Beijing 2022 ice hockey tournaments require teams to have 17 eligible players to start a preliminary round match, consisting of at least 15 skaters and two goalkeepers.

Teams would forfeit a match should they not have enough eligible players.

Regulations could also see best placed losing teams feature in the latter stages, should teams be unable to fulfil matches.

COVID-19 concerns were cited as the key reason for the withdrawal of National Hockey League players from the Games last month.