The International Olympic Committee said it still strongly condemns Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, but it's lifting its suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee. That could affect Russia's eligibility in IIHF tournaments.
The International Olympic Committee provisionally lifted the suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee on Tuesday.
The ban against the ROC has been in effect since October 2023, as a result of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the ROC's claim on regions in Ukraine.
"The decision was taken following a thorough analysis by the IOC's Legal Affairs Commission, considering that the ROC no longer includes as its members any regional sports organisations in territories falling under the jurisdiction of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine," the IOC said in a news release.
The IOC said it will continue to monitor the situation, and its stance against Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which has lasted since February 2022, has not changed. It still strongly condemns it.
"More broadly, the IOC condemns wars, armed conflicts and violence that cause human suffering wherever they occur," the IOC said. "At a time of growing instability and division around the world, the IOC remains committed to promoting peace through sport among people and nations."
That said, the IOC said the Russian Olympic Committee must ensure that the athletes it selects for the Olympics are chosen not just for sports performance but also for being role models who respect and uphold a peaceful society through sport.
A decision on whether the IOC will allow the display of the Russian flag, anthem, colors or any identifications for the 2028 Summer Olympics and beyond will come in due time.
With this news, Team Russia is a little bit closer to potentially participating in international hockey tournaments again.
Since the IOC's initial ban, Russian hockey players haven't competed in international tournaments, such as the IIHF's World Championship and World Junior Championship, and the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan.
The IIHF and NHL have tended to align their regulations and suspensions with the IOC. With the suspension on Russian athletes and teams provisionally lifted, they may be back to competing alongside other nations again soon.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said in June the league needs more information from the IIHF on what it plans to do with Russia in future tournaments before deciding whether there will be a Russian squad at the 2028 World Cup of Hockey.
That being said, Russian players will compete at the 2027 NHL All-Star Game, which will be a mini-tournament featuring the U.S., Canada, Sweden, Finland and a rest-of-world squad.
The IIHF announced in May that instead of suspending Russia from competition in 2026-27, it will evaluate its eligibility on an event-by-event basis.
Russia's hockey federation had appealed the original suspension to the IIHF's Disciplinary Board, which instructed the IIHF Council to re-analyze Russia's eligibility based on safety, security, operational and sporting plans.
Tuesday's news comes two months after the IOC announced it doesn't recommend bans on Belarusian athletes and teams anymore.
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