Source: New York Post
MILAN — International Ice Hockey Federation president Luc Tardif said Thursday he wants “as soon as possible” for Belarus and Russia to return to international competition, having been banned for the last four years as sanction for the unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. Speaking at a joint press conference with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and NHLPA chief Marty Walsh at the Milan Winter Olympics, Tardif took a similar line to FIFA president Gianni Infantino, who recently echoed the same sentiment. See Also 2026 Winter Olympics men’s hockey tourney will get asterisk with Russia’s absence “First of all, till the beginning, we follow the recommendation of the [International Olympic Committee],” Tardif said.