Leaked: Russia’s 'neutral' Olympic ice hockey jersey

A possible version of Russia’s Olympic ice hockey jerseys has been published online, following the International Olympic Committee’s decision to bar Russian national symbols, its anthem and flag at the 2018 Winter Games.

Despite statements from the Russian Olympic Committee’s (ROC) president, Alexander Zhukov, who insisted that no agreement regarding Olympic kit design had been reached so far, images of the team’s possible ice hockey jersey have appeared on the website of one of Russia’s biggest sports news outlets, which cites a source “close to the IOC.” 

The Nike-manufactured jerseys are labeled “Olympic athlete from Russia,” and feature an ice hockey player across the chest instead of the symbolic double-headed eagle from Russia’s coat of arms.

The IOC has reportedly sent an official letter to Russian sports federations ahead of the 2018 Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea, clarifying its demands regarding the new design of the national Olympic uniform.

To meet the criteria set by the Olympic governing body, sports outfit suppliers must remove all symbols and emblems which could be associated with Russia. ‘Olympic Athlete from Russia’ or the abbreviation ‘OAR’ should be used instead of the traditional inscriptions – Team Russia and RUS – while the Russian national flag must be replaced with the Olympic rings symbol.

READ MORE: Russian Olympic Committee banned from 2018 Winter Games, athletes allowed to compete as neutrals

The national anthem as well as the white, blue and red tricolor will be banned in PyeongChang, but Olympic kit designers have been allowed to use two out of three national colors while making the uniform for neutral athletes.

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All the requirements stipulated by the IOC should be applied to Russian athletes intending to compete in PyeongChang, as well as to technical staff and officials who will attend the Games. The neutral uniform should be approved the IOC, which will penalize any athlete who displays Russian emblems.

Two weeks ago, the IOC barred Russia from the 2018 Olympics as punishment for alleged “systematic state-sponsored doping,” adding, however, it would grant Olympic entry to individual Russian athletes who have not been convicted of doping. An IOC doping panel will review applications from ‘clean’ Russian athletes to confirm their participation at the PyeongChang Games.

Last week, the Russian Olympic Assembly voted unanimously to take part in the 2018 Olympics under a neutral flag, rejecting the idea of boycotting the Games in response to the IOC decision. ROC chief Zhukov said that the organization had “taken the blow itself to give athletes the chance to realize their Olympic dreams.”