ZURICH — The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) has decided to keep Russia and Belarus excluded from its competitions until at least the 2025-26 season. This ruling, made on Tuesday, extends to all world championships and effectively excludes these nations from next year’s Winter Olympic Games set to take place in Italy, although the final decision regarding Olympic participation rests with the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

The IIHF expressed concerns regarding the reintegration of Russian and Belarusian national and club teams, citing that the current security climate does not meet the necessary conditions for hosting tournaments that ensure the safety of all participants. The federation’s council indicated that it will review the situation again in May 2026.

The upcoming Winter Olympics are slated for February 6-22, 2026, in Milan and Cortina. Historically, Russia, both as the Soviet Union and the Unified Team, has a strong Olympic legacy, boasting nine gold medals in ice hockey. They secured a silver medal at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, shortly before the conflict in Ukraine escalated, which has led to their ban from international ice hockey competitions ever since.

The response from the Russian Hockey Federation has been one of dissatisfaction. Pavel Bure, a notable figure in ice hockey and currently acting as the federation’s special representative for international affairs, stated that the IIHF would eventually have to allow Russia to compete again, arguing that the absence of Russian teams diminishes the quality of world championships. Bure challenged the IIHF’s claims about security, mentioning that Russia had offered additional measures to ensure safety for its national team.

He further noted that many Russian athletes are actively participating in international venues across various sports, including more than 50 players in the NHL, stating that there have been no incidents reported involving them. In 2023, the IOC permitted Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete in international events under certain conditions, although team events remain off-limits for these nations.

The 2026 Olympics will mark the return of NHL players to the Games, a privilege that has been absent since the 2014 Sochi Olympics.