IOC Bans Russia from Ice Hockey in Winter Olympics
(MENAFN) The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has officially decided to prohibit Russian national ice hockey squads from participating in the forthcoming Winter Olympics set to be hosted in Italy.
This was disclosed by Luc Tardif, the president of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), during a conversation with a news agency on Monday.
Recently, a sports network reported that the IOC had reaffirmed its stance to exclude Russian hockey teams from the 2026 Winter Games.
When questioned by a journalist from a news agency on whether the decision was conclusive, Tardif responded, “For the Olympics – it’s an IOC decision,” emphasizing that the matter rests solely with the Olympic authority.
Earlier in February, the IIHF announced an extension of its penalties, maintaining the suspension of both Russian and Belarusian teams from taking part in the 2025-2026 championship cycle organized by the federation.
This action continues a broader pattern among international sports bodies that have barred athletes from these countries following increased hostilities in the Ukraine crisis, which began in 2022.
In response to the conflict, the IOC initially called for broad restrictions on Russian and Belarusian participants.
Although some athletes from these countries have since been allowed to compete, they must do so under a neutral banner and only after undergoing a thorough screening to confirm they have not endorsed the conflict.
As the sports network noted, citing the Olympic authority, “The IOC Executive Board recommendation from March 2023 with regard to teams of athletes with a Russian passport remains in place.”
It further clarified that “a group of Individual Neutral Athletes cannot be considered a team,” underscoring the rationale for keeping national teams excluded.
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