Russia reportedly barred from participating in 2026 Winter Olympics, likely Alex Ovechkin’s last as an active player

Alex Ovechkin may not get a final chance to compete for what is likely the last career achievement he wants to check off his list: an Olympic gold medal.

Alex Ovechkin says he would have already broken Wayne Gretzky's goal-scoring record without lockouts and the pandemic: 'But, unfortunately, such moments happen' | RMNB

According to a report from Latvian media outlet Sportacentrs, the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) have agreed that Russia will not compete in the men’s and women’s ice hockey tournaments at the 2026 Winter Olympics. The decision was reportedly made at the 2025 IIHF Annual Congress in Stockholm, Sweden, this week, although the IIHF has not made a public confirmation.

The 2026 games in Italy are set to be the first with participation from NHL players since the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

Russian and Belarusian players have been barred from IIHF events since 2022, when the two nations collaborated on an illegal military invasion of Ukraine. The IIHF had already announced an extension of the ban through the 2025-26 season, but the IOC has final say on Olympic events.

After news of the report spread, the Russian Ice Hockey Federation released a statement on X, claiming that no final decision had yet been made.

“The issue of participation of Russian national teams in the 2026 Winter Olympic Games was raised at the Congress of the International Ice Hockey Federation,” the tweet reads, per a translation from Google Translate. “The IIHF, the ROC and the FHR will hold additional consultations on this issue in the summer. The final decision will be made later.”

Ovechkin has long mentioned his desire to win an Olympic gold medal, and has played in three prior Olympics (2006, 2010, 2014) without winning a medal of any sort. Ovechkin’s mother, Tatyana, is a two-time Olympic gold medalist for the Soviet Union (1976, 1980).

“The Olympics are in my blood and everybody knows how much I love my country,” Ovechkin said in 2018. “My mom was a two-time Olympic champion, and when I start to play hockey, I dream that if I have chance to play for my country, I will do it every time they ask me.

“Ever since I was good enough to play on Men’s National Team, whenever they ask me, I play. I am proud that we win on Junior team and for the National team in World Championships, but we do not win the most important thing yet: Olympic Gold Medal.”

Ovechkin was previously an ambassador for the Olympics in Sochi and traveled to Greece to be the first Russian to carry the Olympic flame on its way to Russia.

The men’s ice hockey tournament portion of the 2026 Olympics is set to run from February 11 to 22, while the women’s tournament will run from February 5 to 19. In both tournaments, France would replace Russia after finishing as the highest-ranked second-place nation in the final round of qualifying for men and women.