The President of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), Luc Tardif, noted that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is aiming for the full return of Russian athletes and teams to the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
This was reported by The Athletic.
At the same time, the reintegration of hockey teams will stretch over years and, according to his forecasts, will only be completed by the 2030 Olympics in the French Alps. Tardif noted that the IOC is focusing on opening doors for Russian teams to the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.
The head of the IIHF suggests that the youth teams (U18) of Russia and Belarus may return to the international arena no earlier than 2028, the junior teams no earlier than 2029, and the senior teams only by the spring of 2029.
At the Olympic summit on December 11, 2025, the IOC recommended allowing young athletes from Russia to participate in team and individual sports.
Russian hockey teams were suspended from all IIHF tournaments in February 2022, and in May 2025, the suspension was extended until the 2026 World Championship.
