Reuters: Russian ice hockey team excluded from 2026 Olympics – IOC

Russian sports teams, including the ice hockey team, remain barred from the Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina in 2026, due to sanctions imposed following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Source: Reuters, citing a statement from the International Olympic Committee.

Details: The IOC was responding to reports from Russia that the country’s ice hockey officials had held talks with the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) regarding participation in the Games.

"The IOC Executive Board recommendation from March 2023 with regard to teams of athletes with a Russian passport remains in place," the IOC stated. "It is based on the fact that, by definition, a group of Individual Neutral Athletes cannot be considered a team. We take note that the IIHF has confirmed that it will follow this recommendation." 

The International Ice Hockey Federation suspended Russia and Belarus from international tournaments in February 2022, following the launch of the full-scale invasion.

The men’s ice hockey tournament at the 2026 Winter Olympics will run from 11 to 22 February, while the women’s tournament will take place from 5 to 19 February.

Background: 

• It was recently reported that the Russian team would lead the updated IIHF rankings after the World Cup, provided the scoring rules remain unchanged.
• A small number of Russian and Belarusian athletes were permitted to compete in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris as neutral athletes, following rigorous vetting by the IOC. They participated without the Russian or Belarusian flag or anthem.

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