Ice Hockey-Neck guards mandatory for players at 2026 Winter Olympics, BBC reports

The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) will make neck guards mandatory for players at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, the BBC reported on Wednesday.

The decision follows the death of Nottingham Panthers forward Adam Johnson in October 2023 after his neck was cut by a skate blade of another player during a league game.

The IIHF did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for confirmation about the decision.

The sport's governing authority mandated the use of neck guards in all its competitions in December 2023, extending a rule already in place for under-18 and under-20 tournaments.

However, a date for implementation at the senior level was not determined due to concerns over equipment supply.

In June, Canadian platform Daily Faceoff reported that the National Hockey League (NHL) will make neck guards mandatory for players joining the league from the 2026-27 season.

Players with NHL games prior to that season will not be mandated to wear the protective gear, the report said.

The ice hockey competition at Milano Cortina will run from February 5-22.