Russia will not be allowed to compete in men’s or women’s hockey at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, as recently announced by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). This is a continuation of a ban that was implemented in 2022, when Russians and Belarusians were suspended from international hockey competitions due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Russian athletes are still eligible to compete in the Olympics, but as neutral athletes. Neutral athletes are the ones who do not represent their country in the event, and they will not use any of their national symbols as well. However, full teams such as national hockey teams are still not allowed to play, even as neutrals.
With this, the IOC shared, “The IOC Executive Board recommendation from March 2023 with regard to teams of athletes with a Russian passport remains in place… It is based on the fact that, by definition, a group of Individual Neutral Athletes cannot be considered a team. We take note that the IIHF has confirmed that it will follow this recommendation.”
More so, the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) extended the suspension of Russia and Belarus from international competitions through May 2026 last February. But the decision on whether they can join the Olympics was made by the IOC.
Russia playing as neutrals
At the 2022 Beijing Olympics, Russia won silver in men’s hockey with the name “Russian Olympic Committee” (ROC). This was a few weeks before the war happened, which led to further sanctions and bans for the country from international sports events.
Moreover, at the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, Russian athletes competed as “Olympic Athletes from Russia” (OAR) and won first place in men’s hockey.
During 2018 and 2022, Russian teams were also not allowed to represent their country because of their doping violations from previous years. They could not use the Russian flag or anthem, and had to compete under neutral names, which were approved by the IOC.
France to take over
With Russia out of the competition, France will now step up to take their place in both men’s and women’s hockey events at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
France will join Group A in the men’s tournament, alongside Canada, Switzerland, and Czechia. On the other hand, France will be part of Group B for the women’s side and will play against Germany, Sweden, Japan, and Italy.
Here is the complete list of countries that will compete and their respective groups:
| Group | Teams |
| Men’s Group A | Canada, Sweden, Switzerland and Italy |
| Men’s Group B | Finland, Germany, Czechia and Denmark |
| Men’s Group C | France, United States, Slovakia and Latvia |
| Women’s Group A | Canada, United States, Finland, Czechia, Switzerland |
| Women’s Group B | France, Germany, Sweden, Japan, Italy |
The 2026 Winter Olympics will happen from February 6 to 22, 2026. All Olympic hockey games will be played at two venues: the Fiera Milano and the new 16,000-seat Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena.