At the beginning of 2025, the President of the International Hockey Federation (IIHF) Luke Tardif made beautiful statements in conversations with foreign media about how great it would be to return Russia and Belarus to international hockey. He added optimism and coming to power to the IOC Kirsti Kovventri, who also hinted at the desire to return the Russians to the Olympic family. However, these promises ultimately turned out to be false.

Representatives of the IOC clearly made it clear that the Russian team in hockey would not be at the games in Milan, which means that the captain of Washington Alexander Ovechkin probably missed the last chance to become the Olympic champion.

What did Tardif said

It became anxious for Russian hockey a few days ago, when the Latvian press broke in an inside that our guys would not be allowed to the Olympic tournament. However, the IIHF leadership quickly refuted this information, including Tardif himself, who said that the final decision has not yet been made. It seemed that the threat passed.

Nevertheless, very little time passed, and Tardif in an interview with SVT Sport did not let him doubt that the decision was actually ready, he just wants the International Olympic Committee to take responsibility for his announcement.

– We made it clear that it was the International Olympic Committee that should notify the Olympic Russian Committee, and they did it. And we want the IOC to officially report the prevention of the Russian team, – quotes Tardifa SVT Sport.

Luke Tardif / Photo: © Dennis Pajot / Contributor / Getty Images Sport / Gettyimages.ru

Hypockers deprived Russian superstars of gold a chance

IIHF President took a convenient position, trying to get himself out of criticism. In the International Hockey Federation, they thus tried to avoid negativity from the FHR leadership, because Tardif and his colleagues perfectly understand that they lose a lot from sanctions against our national team. It is enough to look at adults and youth world championships for the last three years to conclude about the fallen competition and the attractiveness of such tournaments.

Perhaps the International Olympic Committee tried to challenge Russia as much as possible before Coventry officially came to power. Recall that until the end of June, Thomas Bach still remains at the helm, and there is no need to expect anything positive from him. Nevertheless, there were hopes that our national team would go to Milan. However, the IOC press service confirmed that the Russian team is not expected at games-2026.

Russian hockey players / Photo: © RIA Novosti / Alexey Filippov

– The recommendation of the IOC Executive Committee of March 2023 in relation to the teams of athletes with the Russian passport remains valid. It is based on the fact that, by definition, a group of individual neutral athletes cannot be considered a team. We take note that IIHF confirmed that this recommendation would follow.

This recommendation was made after consultations with interested international federations and other participants in the Olympic movement. This position reflects the decision on the removal of the Olympic Committee of Russia due to its annexation of regional sports organizations in the territory (head) of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine. Such actions are a violation of the Olympic Charter, since they violate the territorial integrity of the NOC of Ukraine, recognized by the IOC in accordance with the Olympic Charter, said Match TV in the IOC press service.

Firstly, this is not an official refusal. Secondly, the Russian Olympic Committee noted that the removal of our hockey team is legally connected with the decision of the IOC from 2023, to which they refer to the Bach office! Moreover, our country fulfills all the necessary conditions for participation in games. And this means that Russians still have a real chance to go to games-2026.

– The removal of the Russian hockey team from all international competitions began back in 2022 and legally was in no way connected with the decision of the International Olympic Committee on the removal of the Russian Olympic Committee in 2023. In this regard, the lawyers of the OKR are now working out options for contesting in international courts, or rather the inaction of the IOC. Because the obstacles to which the IOC refers to are eliminated and the organization is officially notified of this.

Our position is simple, there are no legal grounds for removing the RCR, all the rights of our National Olympic Committee must be restored, and Russian athletes must have the right to participate in all Olympic disciplines, in which they have the right to participate in accordance with the sports principles of selection, including the hockey tournament, the “matric of TV” in the OKR said.

A miracle must happen so that the Russian team in hockey performs at the games in Milan. In July and September, meetings of the Executive Committee of the IOC will be held, Coventi will officially take office on June 24, 2025. It is hoped that the new president will not continue the Bach line. If she wants to change the situation, then our team has every chance to perform at the Olympics.

Otherwise, the final opportunity Ovechkin will most likely be missed through the fault of hypocritical politicians. And with him the dreams of Malkin, Kucherov, Bobrovsky, Kaprizov and our other superstars will be destroyed.