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IIHF extends Russia, Belarus ban through 2025-26 ice hockey season

Matvei Michkov, Team Russia (Image: KHL)

Russia and Belarus will remain frozen out of International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) play for another season, with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) still yet to make a decision on Russia’s participation at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.

The IIHF Council voted on Tuesday [4 February] to uphold the bans it handed to Russia and Belarus following the invasion of Ukraine, with both nations now unable to compete in IIHF-sanctioned tournaments through 2025-26.

“The IIHF Council believes it is not yet safe to reintegrate the Russian and Belarusian National and Club Teams to its championships,” announced the sport’s world governing body.

“As current security conditions do not allow the necessary requirements for the organization of tournaments guaranteeing the safety of all, the IIHF must maintain the current status quo until further notice.”

The IIHF will review Russian and Belarussian participation in its tournaments, which include the Continental Cup, World Championships, and World Junior Championships, ahead of the IIHF Annual Conference in May 2026.

Analysis – It’s over to the IOC to decide Russia’s Winter Olympic fate

The IIHF’s decision to uphold its ban of Russia and Belarus shouldn’t come as a surprise, with both nations locked out of international tournaments since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

With the military situation in Ukraine still active, there is no justification for reversing the ban.

It’s now over to the IOC to determine whether Russia is allowed to compete at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Italy.

Belarus was effectively banned from the tournament by the IIHF, which is responsible for running qualifying events for the Winter Olympics.

Unlike Belarus, which needed to win the qualifiers in order to book a place at the main tournament, Russia is an automatic qualifier following its top-eight placement at the 2023 IIHF World Championship.

If Russia is removed from the tournament, France will take the final spot in Group C alongside the United States, Slovakia, and Latvia.

Pavel Bure on Russia’s international isolation:

“Over the course of three years, the Russian Ice Hockey Federation and I have actively worked with the IIHF and the entire hockey family to secure Russia’s return to the international scene,” said former NHLer and Russian Hockey Federation representative Pavel Bure.

Pavel Bure (left), Russian Hockey Federation (Image: Russian Hockey Federation)

Pavel Bure (left), Russian Hockey Federation (Image: Russian Hockey Federation)

“During this time, we have managed to ensure that our partners are listening to our stance. I made speeches on three occasions during the last meeting, whereas previously we hadn’t been allowed to explain our position or even be at the meetings.

“One of the IIHF’s arguments for not permitting Russia to compete in its tournaments is the issue of safety,” Bure continued, “in our opinion, this argument does not hold enough strength. More than 50 Russians play in the NHL.

“Russian swimmers, chess players and representatives of other sports are participating in international competitions without any incidents being recorded. One of our suggestions was to finance additional security for Russia, in order to allow fans across the planet to watch one of the world’s best teams in action again.”

But Russia and Belarus are unlikely to return to the international scene any time soon, with both nations held out of non-IIHF events such as the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, Euro Hockey Tour, and the NHL’s Four Nations Face-Off.

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