Czechia hockey coach says referees are 'afraid to call anything against Canada' after Olympic loss

CNN host Audie Cornish and New York Magazine's Will Leitch suggested during a recent podcast that the U.S. could become the "global villain" of the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Czechia Olympic men's hockey coach Radim Rulik condemned referees for their officiating of Wednesday’s Olympic men’s quarterfinals between his team and Canada.

Rulik spoke out after his team's 4-3 overtime loss, saying the refs were "afraid to call" any penalties against Canada. 

"I feel like everyone is afraid to call anything against Canada," Rulik told reporters, according to a translation of his postgame interview.

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The men's quarterfinal match between Canada and Chechia at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on Feb. 18, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Andrzej Iwanczuk/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

"The referees really worry me. What they’re allowing against us is unacceptable," Rulik added. "After every game, we send them two or three clips where they confirm that the opponent should have been penalized. I don’t understand it. I just don’t get it."

During the third period when Czechia's Martin Nečas was about to go on a breakaway, Canada's Devon Toews appeared to hook him in the neutral zone, but no penalty was called. 

"I watch two NHL games on replay every single day," Rulik continued. "The play Necas made today — when his stick was touched on the breakaway — is always a penalty in the NHL. But suddenly, not here. I’m really sorry about it. The guys deserved a top-level performance from the referees. 

"They always admit afterward that we were right, but nothing ever changes. We should have had power plays against Canada. But they were afraid [David Pastrnak] or Necas