Russia and Bélarus must remain frozen from the international competitions of the Ice Hockey Federation throughout the 2025-26 season.
The decision of the IIHF covers all the world championships on Tuesday and indeed the winter Olympic Games next year in Italy, although the International Olympic Committee has the last word.
“It is not yet sure to reintegrate the Russian and Belarusian national teams and clubs,” said the IIHF, because “the current security conditions do not allow the necessary requirements for the organization of tournaments guaranteeing the security of all “.
The IIHF Council declared that it would then assess the question in May 2026.
The 2026 winter Olympic Games are scheduled for February 6 to 22 in Milan and Cortina.
Russia, in forms in forms in the name of the Soviet Union or the unified team, has won Olympic gold nine times. Russia won the money at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Games, just a few weeks before Ukraine’s invasion by Russia. Russia and Bélarus have been prohibited from international ice hockey tournaments since.
The IOC in 2023, the Russian and lighted green Biélarussian athletes participating in international events after fulfilling certain conditions, but they remained prohibited from team events.
The 2026 Olympic Games will welcome NHL players for the first time since the 2014 Sochi Games.
