Russia’s hockey ban for 2026 Olympics reaffirmed amid IOC sanctions

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has reaffirmed its decision to bar Russian national teams, including its formidable men's ice hockey squad, from participating in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina. The decision underscores ongoing sanctions in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and follows recent attempts by Russian sports officials to negotiate a return.

Despite reports that Russian hockey officials engaged in dialogue with the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), the IOC made clear that its March 2023 recommendation still holds. “The IOC Executive Board's recommendation… remains in force,” the organization stated, emphasizing that "a group of individual neutral athletes cannot be considered a team."

The IIHF has confirmed it will follow the IOC's directive. Speaking at the Ice Hockey World Championship in Stockholm, IIHF President Luc Tardif acknowledged that the federation had been asked to draft an Olympic schedule excluding Russia. “Recently they asked us to send them a schedule without Russia, so that's where we are,” Tardif said. “The official statement is pending, but the IOC has told us that they are informing the Russian Olympic Committee that they are not participating in the Olympics.”

This position follows the IOC’s October 2023 suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC), citing the organization’s decision to recognize Olympic councils in occupied Ukrainian regions — a move the IOC said violated the Olympic Charter. “This action constitutes a breach... because it violates the territorial integrity of the NOC of Ukraine,” the IOC stated.

Russian hockey teams have been sidelined from IIHF-sanctioned events since 2022. They last competed under the banner of the “Russian Olympic Committee” at the Beijing Winter Games, where the men claimed silver. Now, with less than a year to go until Milano-Cortina, the possibility of a comeback appears remote.

The IOC’s stance does allow for limited participation by Russian and Belarusian athletes as neutrals, provided they undergo strict vetting and refrain from supporting the war. This policy enabled a small contingent to compete at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, and recently four Russian figure skaters were approved to seek qualification for the 2026 Winter Games under similar conditions.

Meanwhile, the Russian response has been defiant. The ROC argues that there are no legal grounds for the ongoing suspension and has pledged to challenge the IOC’s actions in international courts. "Our position is simple: all rights of our National Olympic Committee must be restored,” the ROC said in a statement. “Russian athletes must have the right to take part in all Olympic disciplines… including the hockey tournament.”

Political figures have also weighed in. Vyacheslav Fetisov, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and current State Duma deputy, criticized the exclusion as “nonsense, disrespect and lawlessness.” He lamented the lost opportunity for veteran players like Alexander Ovechkin, saying, “Missing the Olympics would be terrible for all our hockey players… they should be ashamed of this decision.”

Should the ban stand, France is expected to take Russia’s place in the Olympic men’s ice hockey tournament. The revised groupings would feature traditional powerhouses such as Canada, Sweden, and the United States, alongside host nation Italy.

While Russian players continue to compete in the NHL — with over 50 active last season — their absence from Olympic ice is a stark reminder of the broader geopolitical divide that continues to reshape the world of international sport.

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