Earlier, the IIHF announced that France will participate in the group stage of the men’s hockey tournament at the 2026 Olympics in Italy if the Russian team is not allowed.
— Russia will not participate in the Olympics until the IIHF leadership changes, because the people working there promote Russophobia. Only in Slovakia has something changed, and the Swedes and Finns, who were once defeated by the USSR and Russia, continue to lead the federation under the leadership of this Frenchman. Now they no longer allow Russia, but favor France, “Kozhevnikov told Match TV.
On September 1, Olympic qualifying ended and the last tickets to the Games were awarded to the teams of Slovakia, Latvia and Denmark, who won the mini-tournaments. France took second place in one of the tournaments and, if admitted to the 2026 Games, will be in a group with Canada, Switzerland and the Czech Republic.
Previously, the Russian team missed the 2022, 2023 and 2024 World Championships by decision of the IIHF.
The next Winter Olympics will be held in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo from February 6 to 22, 2026.
- Kozhevnikov admitted whether he wanted to work as a coach
Source: Sport
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