Slovakia and choir in one group at the Olympics? Hockey bosses would be delighted. But the chance is small, mourn the Russians – Other – Hockey

Normally this would be a bloated group. Americans against Russians, plus Slovaks and Latvians. But Russian hockey players are paying the price for an aggressive political regime in their country, which is waging a war of occupation against a neighboring country.

Picture from the Slovakia – Russia match at the 2021 World Cup in Riga.

For that reason, they will most likely not even participate in the Winter Olympics in Milan, where three teams advanced yesterday.

In addition to Denmark and Latvia, it was also Slovakia that won the final tournament of the Olympic qualification and won all three matches at home.

It did so similarly successfully as three years ago, when it also won the domestic qualification and advanced to the 2022 Olympics in Beijing, where it later took a sensational bronze.

Slovakia, Denmark and Latvia joined the automatically qualified nine, which is Canada, Sweden, Switzerland, Finland, Czech Republic, Germany, USA, Russia and home host Italy.

In February 2025, it will be decided whether the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) will extend Russia’s start ban for the invasion of Ukraine.

If that happens, he will be replaced by France at the Milan tournament, where the best players from the NHL will start for the first time since the 2014 Olympics in Sochi.

The Russian media closely followed the qualification in Bratislava mainly for two reasons.

The first was the fact that Slovakia became the first country from the top ten of the IIHF world ranking, which, despite Russian aggression in the neighboring country, also fielded players from the KHL in the international tournament.

The second reason was that the selection of Kazakhstan, which is practically completely saved from the Barys Astana team, which operates in the KHL, also started in Bratislava.

The Russian portal Championat congratulated the advancing team, while also expressing regret that the team will be absent from the next major international tournament.

“We all understand that the chance to see our team in Milan is small. The political situation is not improving or calming down. The decision on the Russian national team will be made by the IIHF in February 2025, and there is no real possibility that it will be in our favor,” writes Championat.

If the Russians do not end the military aggression and the IIHF, which would like to see them back among the hockey elite, because by excluding them it loses considerable funds, will not allow them to start in Milan, the composition of the groups will also change.

Instead of the USA, Russia and Latvia, the Slovaks will be joined by the Nordic trio – Finland, Sweden, Denmark.

The 2026 Olympic tournament will take place from February 5 to 22, the venue will be the PalaItalia and Fiera Milano halls in Milan.

See the composition of the groups: