Alex Ovechkin, known for his aspirations to secure an Olympic gold medal, may face the end of that dream as Russia is reportedly set to be barred from men's and women's ice hockey tournaments at the 2026 Winter Olympics. This decision stems from the ongoing exclusion of Russian and Belarusian teams from IIHF events following the Ukraine invasion, a ban that has been in place since 2022. Although the Russian Ice Hockey Federation disputes the report and claims further discussions will occur, the IOC maintains the final authority on Olympic participation.
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.
Ovechkin has long mentioned his desire to win an Olympic gold medal, and has played in three prior Olympics (2006, 2010, 2014) without winning.
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