MOSCOW, June 2. /TASS/. The decision to bar the Russian ice hockey teams from the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Italy was made by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) has no say in this, its head Luc Tardif told TASS on Monday.

"Concerning the Olympics - it’s an IOC decision," the IIHF chief said in response to a question from TASS about whether the IOC’s decision to bar the Russian ice hockey team from next year’s Olympics was final.

Tardif explained, however, that the decision to ban the national teams of Russia and Belarus from the 2025/2026 international competitions was made by the IIHF.

"For the World Championship 2026. It was an IIHF decision," Tardif added.

In early February, the IIHF Council ruled at its session to extend its sanctions against the Russian and Belarusian teams through the 2025-2026 season, with a stipulation that the decision could be revised should the global political situation change.

The IIHF Council was expected to decide early this year whether the Russian women's and men’s teams would be cleared for the Olympic tournament since IIHF President Luc Tardif said a year ago that their participation in the Winter Games depended solely on the IIHF.

However, following the IIHF Council’s session in February, Tardif announced that it is up to the IOC to decide on whether the Russians will travel to Italy next year.

The 2026 Winter Olympic Games will be held in Italy, in the cities of Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo. The event will take place from February 6-22, 2026.

IOC sanctions against Russia, Belarus

On February 28, 2022, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) issued recommendations to international sports federations to bar athletes from Russia and Belarus from taking part in international tournaments, citing Moscow’s special military operation in Ukraine as the reason.

Following the IOC’s recommendations in late February 2022, the majority of global sports federations decided to bar athletes from Russia and Belarus from all international sports tournaments.

In late March, 2023, the IOC recommended to permit individual athletes from Russia and Belarus to take part in international sports tournaments, but only under certain conditions. Specifically, athletes from the two countries should not be "actively supporting" Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine and must compete under a neutral status. Russia and Belarus were also banned from participating in international team events.