Overview
- An IIHF spokesperson confirmed to BBC Sport that neck guards will be compulsory under the federation’s rule book at the 2026 Olympics.
- The decision sets a firm senior-level start date after a 2023 announcement that mandated neck protection across IIHF events without a timeline due to supply concerns.
- The move follows the October 2023 death of Nottingham Panthers forward Adam Johnson from a skate blade neck injury during a British Elite League game.
- The NHL will require neck guards for players entering the league in 2026–27, with existing players grandfathered under the new CBA.
- Youth international tournaments already require neck protection, while domestic adoption remains uneven, including no mandate in the UK’s Elite Ice Hockey League.