Ice hockey neck guards to be made compulsory at 2026 Winter Olympics
Ice hockey chiefs confirm stance on neck guards for Winter Olympics
- The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) has confirmed that neck guards will be compulsory for all ice hockey players at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics in 2026.
- This decision follows the IIHF's announcement in December 2023 to make neck guards mandatory in all its competitions, though a specific start date was not initially given.
- The move comes after the death of Nottingham Panthers forward Adam Johnson in October 2023, who suffered a fatal neck injury from a skate during a British Elite League match.
- While Ice Hockey UK already mandates neck guards for its national team, the British Elite League has only 'strongly encouraged' their use since Johnson's death, not making them a requirement.
- North America's National Hockey League (NHL) will make neck guards compulsory for new players from the 2026-27 season but not for existing players.