Wed, November 19, 2025
Ice hockey neck guards compulsory at 2026 Winter Olympic Games
For the first time, ice hockey neck guards will be made compulsory at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) following the tragic death of player Adam Johnson. Johnson was a Nottingham Panthers player who suffered a fatal cut to his neck by the skate of Sheffield Steelers player Matt Petgrave whilst playing in a British Elite League game in 2023.
It was ruled in April 2025 that no criminal charges were to be brought against Petgrave, who was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter following Johnson’s death, with the Crown Prosecution Service ruling that there was no realistic chance of a conviction. Many within the community argued that the collision was a sudden freak accident and was completely unintentional, but others stated that they thought Petgrave lifted his leg with intent.
An IIHF spokesperson voiced to BBC Sport: “We can confirm the neck guards will be mandatory according to the IIHF Rule Book.”
The guards were made mandatory at youth international level but were optional in the Olympics up until this point. The British Elite League, however, has not made the guards mandatory despite Johnson’s fatality.
Moreover, the guards will not be mandatory in the North American National Hockey League (NHL), largely regarded the biggest hockey league in the world, for current players, only new players entering the league from the 2026 season onwards. “Any player with one game played before the 2026-27 campaign will be grandfathered in and therefore not required to wear a neck guard,” as stated by Bleacher Report.
You can watch the Winter Olympic ice hockey between 5 – 22 February 2026.
