The International Federation of Ice Hockey Federation said to journalists, the International Olympic Committee plans to exclude Russia from the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Luc Tardif was quoted on Sunday by HockeyNews.se and Hokej.cz about Russia’s participation in future events – mainly Milan and Cortina D’Ampzzo, the next winter games in Italy.
Tardif, “IOC Organizer – We are only interested in competition (hockey tournaments).” He said. “We put pressure on them to make a decision in one way or another, because we approach the Olympics and we need to know.”
He continued: “Recently, they wanted us to send a program without Russia, so we are here. The official explanation is waiting, but IOC said that they informed us that they did not participate in the Olympic Committee of the Russian Olympic Committee.”
Russia was banned from the country’s 2022 Ukrainian invasion of the country’s 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. Individual athletes from the country were allowed to compete, but not under the flag of their countries.
The official IOC announcement has not yet been made. Belarus, an ally with Russia, is expected to be kept away from the Olympics again.
Russia hosted the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi and won 46 gold medals in the six winter game. The Soviet Union won 78 gold medals.
Winter Olympics start in February and most of the preparation is already ongoing. Men’s and women’s ice hockey teams have already been chosen and are devoted to their groups for the competition without Russia and Belarus.
-FELD level media
