Confirmed: Ivan Demidov, Alex Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin will not be at the 2026 Olympic Games

So that means the Alex Ovechkin, Ivan Demidov and Evgeni Malkin of this world won’t be able to represent Russia at the hockey tournament in less than 10 months’ time.

I don’t know if Demidov would have been invited, but it’s not completely impossible to think so, right?

In 2018 and 2022, when the NHL couldn’t go to the Olympics (so it’s been a while since we’ve seen Ovi at the Games…), the Russians won gold and silver, respectively.

In 2026, this will obviously not be the case.

In hockey, France could replace Russia. Obviously, with all due respect to the French cousins, it won’t be the same caliber of game, since the country doesn’t have as many good hockey players as Russia.

But while it’s a shame for Russian players in particular, it’s a decision that goes beyond sport.

It’s worth noting that France will have a good challenge on their hands, as they face Canada, Switzerland and the Czech Republic in the preliminary phase. So it won’t be easy for the French.

So, yes, the Russians’ exclusion will continue to be the talk of the town.

Details to follow…