Official RIHF statement concerning the participation of the women's national team in the 2018 Olympic Games

On January 25, the senior Russian women's national team roster for the 2018 Olympic Games in South Korea will be announced. Our team have been allowed to compete in the competition.

Earlier, representatives of the International Olympic Committee gave the Russian Olympic Committee a list of players who are invited to compete in the tournament. On the same day, the Russian Ice Hockey Federation then received the information from the ROC.

Four players on the preliminary roster were not invited to the Olympic Games. They are Anna Shibanova, Galina Skiba and Inna Dyubanok, players which had earlier been disqualified by the IOC. However, one of Russia's leading forwards Lyudmila Belyakova was also not invited to the Olympic Games. The Russian Ice Hockey Federation notes that Lyudmila has not been banned from competing in the tournament, and has not breached any anti-doping rules. However, according to the system which is in place for Russian athletes to compete in the Olympic Games, Lyudmila has not received an invitation. The RIHF are asking the IOC for the reasons behind this decision.

Russian Ice Hockey Federation