Director General of the Russian Hockey Federation (RHF) Dmitry Kurbatov told that Russian team ice hockey will technically not be able to get a wild card for the 2026 Olympics in Italy if the International Ice Hockey Federation in 2025 (IIHF ) will make a decision unfavorable to the Russian team.
— Swimmers will compete in the Short Course World Championships, which will take place December 10-15 in Budapest. How far will hockey players be from returning to the international scene?
— Unfortunately, we have such a situation in hockey that the IIHF suspended us for security reasons. This decision does not give us the opportunity to challenge it. If we had been sidelined as Russians, it would have been a different story. But the IIHF says that as long as hostilities continue, the participation of the Russian and Belarusian national teams is impossible, because “we cannot ensure the safety of the participants in the competition.”
Additionally, the FHR is still in legal proceedings with the IIHF. And the question here will not be resolved solely by a neutral status, as for swimmers. No one is even offering us a return to the international scene under any conditions whatsoever.
— When is your trial with the IIHF scheduled?
— Initially, the date was set for February 2025, then they asked to move it to spring.
— Plus, the IIHF is still chasing CSKA and Ivan Fedotov?
— Yes, parallel processes are underway. FHR participates in the “CSKA file” as a third party. But this is a separate case. These matters are handled by professional lawyers.
— When will the IIHF decide whether Russia will participate in the 2026 Milan Olympics?
— In February or March 2025. Because the IIHF Congress will take place in May and by that time they should clearly understand which 12 teams are participating in the Olympic hockey tournament. This determines in particular whether the French team is included in the number of participants.
— If Russia is not allowed to participate in the Olympic Games in March 2025, will our team then have the opportunity to receive a wild card, that is, a special invitation?
— Such an opportunity does not exist in hockey. The privilege is reserved for the organizing country which participates directly in the Olympic tournament – like the Italian team in this case. But there simply is no joker,” Kurbatov told the correspondent.
The Russian national hockey team won Olympic gold in 2018 by beating the German team in the final (4: 3 in overtime). In 2022, the Russian team won Olympic silver, losing to the Finns in the final (1:2).
More sports news in our telegram channel .
Source : MatchTV
I’m Emma Smith, a dedicated journalist and avid storyteller. I have been writing for news websites for the past 5 years, reporting on hockey news and delivering in-depth analysis of the sport. In my current role as Author at Athletistic, I write about hockey events from around the world to keep followers up-to-date with what’s happening in the sport.
