Luc Tardif announced he will not seek a second term as president of the International Ice Hockey Federation. He guided the IIHF through the COVID-19 pandemic, the suspensions of Russia and Belarus, and more.
IIHF president Luc Tardif announced he will not seek re-election in September.
He said he plans to spend more time with his family in the future.
"With the IIHF in a strong and stable position, I feel it is the right time to pass the puck to a younger leader," Tardif said in a statement.
Tardif, 73, was elected IIHF president on Sept. 25, 2021, replacing longtime predecessor Rene Fasel. He will complete his one term in October. In the meantime, he said he is focused on his mandate in the months ahead, with announcements and initiatives still to come.
"These past five years as president have been among the most challenging, yet also the most meaningful, of my career," Tardif said.
"Together, we have launched a new strategic vision (ICE 26), navigated the challenges of COVID – including hosting an Olympic Games during the pandemic – and establishing new health standards, rebuild and strengthened our relationships with the IOC, the wider Olympic family, and ice hockey league and clubs around the world. This includes our strong partnership with the NHL, NHLPA and PWHL, which has helped us welcome back players to the Olympic stage for a true best-on-best competition."
Tardif also guided the IIHF as its council decided to suspend Russian and Belarusian national and club teams and withdraw the 2023 world junior hosting rights from Russia in 2022 after the countries' full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Tardif was born in Trois-Rivieres, Que., and played hockey there through university before moving to play in Brussels, Belgium, in 1975. In 1978, he moved to France to play for Chamonix and finished with Rouen, eventually retiring as a player and taking charge of its youth hockey program.
He then became the head of the ice hockey department of the French Ice Sports Federation in 2000 and was elected the first president of the French Ice Hockey Federation in 2006. He was re-elected three other times in that role.
From 2008 to 2012, Tardif worked on the IIHF Competition Committee and was appointed chairman of the IIHF finance committee in 2016.
"The IIHF conveys its sincere appreciation to Mr. Tardif for his vision, commitment, and service to the global ice hockey community, and extends its gratitude to his family for their support throughout his presidency," the federation said in a statement.
Since the IIHF was founded in May 1908, there have been 14 presidents. There will be a 15th after the election at the semi-annual congress.
The Congress is made up of representatives from all IIHF member national associations. It elects not only the president but the vice-presidents as well. It's the IIHF's highest legislative body and also makes decisions about the rules.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.