Once called “The Ice House,” a hospitality space at the Olympics used by USA Hockey will now be called The Winter House amid protests against ICE.
According to multiple reports, the Olympic hospitality space used by USA Hockey, speed skating, and figure skating teams will change its name from The Ice House to The Winter House amid growing concerns over the actions and violence being used by ICE in the United States against American citizens and immigrants.
ICE has been conducting raids against immigrant communities across the United States forcibly separating families, using children as bait, and more recently shooting and killing American citizens who posed no physical threat to agents.
In order to represent the athletes competing, including USA’s women’s hockey team, who was set to utilize the space, USA’s Olympic committee has renamed the hospitality area.
"Our hospitality concept was designed to be a private space free of distractions where athletes, their families, and friends can come together to celebrate the unique experience of the Winter Games," the three governing sporting bodies using the space said in a joint statement. "This name captures that vision and connects to the season and the event."
USA’s women’s hockey team is the favorite to win gold at the 2026 Olympics. They open their tournament February 5.