Trump and Putin, ice hockey for the US-Russia Disgenel

According to the Russian government, the two presidents discussed “hockey games in the United States and Russia between Russian and American players who play in the NHL and Khl”, the respective professional alloys of USA and Russia. “The NHL became aware of the conversation between the presidents Trump and Putin – said the League in a statement to Espn – of course, we were not part of these discussions and it would be inappropriate to comment at this moment”.

Recently, Trump had made news in the world of Hockey for calling the United States team the morning before the final of the NHL 4 Nations Face-Off Championship in Boston between the United States and Canada, wishing good luck to the stars and stripes team. The match was played in the middle of the tensions between the two countries followed at the announcement of the duties and the ‘threats’ of Trump to make Canada the 51st American state. Result: Bordate of whistles during the national hymns of the two countries. At the end of the game, won by Canada 3-2 in extra time, the then Premier Justin Trudeau had celebrated on X: “You cannot take our country, and you cannot take our game”.

In the past, National Hockey League and Kontinental Hockey League, which also hosts clubs in Belarus and Kazakhstan, had organized performance games, the last of which in Riga in October 2010. However, after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the relationships between NHL and Russia have changed dramatically. The League suspended its relations with KHL in March 2022, ordering the teams to cease any contact with the Khl formations. Stop also to any agreement with Russian broadcasters.

In addition to the NHL, Russia has been excluded, together with Belarus, by the international hockey tournaments by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). The ban has been extended until the 2025-2026 season for safety reasons. “Since the current security conditions do not allow to comply with the necessary requirements for the organization of tournaments that guarantee everyone’s safety, the IIHF must maintain the status quo up to new notice,” said IIHF in a press release.

The ban would also extend to the 2026 winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina. Despite the decision of the IIHF, the International Olympic Committee will still have the last word on the participation of Russia and Belarus in the Olympics and in what conditions.

A “simple” hockey game between NHL and Khl athletes may have repercussions on all global sport. Russia has been disqualified by numerous international competitions, and the main sports federations have suspended Russian athletes, teams and clubs from events of world caliber. Federations such as FIFA, UEFA, Fig (International Gymnastics Federation) and FIVB (International Volleyball Federation) have excluded Russia from their competitions and also at the Paris 2024 Olympics, Russian athletes were able to participate only without a flag.

In football, for example, the disqualification of Russia has had remarkable repercussions. FIFA and UEFA, the main international football organizations, have suspended Russia from all competitions. The Russian national team was excluded from the qualifications for the 2022 and 2026 World Cup, while the Russian clubs were ousted from European competitions, such as the Champions League and the Europa League.

So far, the reinstatement of the Russian teams in the international football circuit has never been a theme. However, just a few days ago, the president of Fifa Gianni Infantino went to the White House to present the club world championship in Trump who will be staged in June in the USA, and the two presidents also discussed the creation of a Task Force for the 2026 World Cup, always scheduled in the United States. The Tycoon said he was “enthusiastic” to welcome competitions so important and followed globally, and it would not be to be excluded that he can also ask for the participation of the “forgotten” Russian teams in the future.