MILAN — International Ice Hockey Federation president Luc Tardif said Thursday he wants “as soon as possible” for Belarus and Russia to return to international competition, having been banned for the last four years as sanction for the unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.
Speaking at a joint press conference with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and NHLPA chief Marty Walsh at the Milan Winter Olympics, Tardif took a similar line to FIFA president Gianni Infantino, who recently echoed the same sentiment.
“First of all, till the beginning, we follow the recommendation of the [International Olympic Committee],” Tardif said. “We try to keep the politics away from our competition, but sometimes that’s not so easy. We’ve got our World Championships so that means every decision we take, that’s for security of the players, including the Russians and [Belarussians]. As you know, the competition that in Europe and the geopolitical situation, we decide every year, so year by year, if they can be with us.
“I want to make sure that everybody understands, we want as soon as possible the Belarus and the Russians back. Because first, it will mean that the world will be a little bit better. But every time when we have to say to Belarus and Russia that it’s a little bit too soon to come back, we take the decision, but we follow the recommendation of the IOC. And for the team sports, so at the moment, they’re not allowed to participate at the Olympics.”
Tardif’s IIHF had already signaled some willingness to allow youth players from Russia and Belarus into competition starting in 2028, determining last month that it could not do so in 2026-27 while keeping the door open to do so in U-18 tournaments the next year. That would be in line with IOC recommendations, which say youth athletes from those countries should be allowed to compete under their flag and anthem.
Bettman said the NHL, “will follow what the international community is doing” as far as allowing Russia to compete at the 2028 World Cup of Hockey.
“I don’t see any need for us to weigh in separately,” Bettman said. “And frankly, in terms of our game and our players, from wherever they’re from, if we can steer clear of geopolitical issues — not just this one but a whole host of others that are going on — I think that’s better for the game, better for our players and better for our fans.”
Most Russian NHLers have remained quiet about the war, and many may not be able to speak their minds openly due to potential ramifications for their families back home. The most prominent Russian NHLer, Alex Ovechkin, expressed support for the 2014 invasion of Crimea and for Russian president Vladimir Putin.
The seemingly ongoing shift in the sporting community belies the situation on the ground in Ukraine, where the war is very much still ongoing. Attacks on the energy grid amid sub-freezing temperatures have plunged civilian areas of the country into darkness with no heating available.
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Tardif was asked what exactly has changed on the ground to allow for a conversation about reintegration.
“When there is a [geopolitical situation] like we are, you have conflicts everywhere,” he said. “So that means we have to be a little bit distant.”
Much of Tardif’s concern appeared to be about “security” — which, he clarified, meant security for Russian athletes, not the security of Ukraine. He confirmed the IIHF is still in contact with Russia.
“… Like you, every day, you watch the news to make sure, to hope that something will get better,” Tardif said. “… We are trying to keep them around and organize to make sure when the time will come, we are ready to bring the family back together.”
