Last October, a new member joined the ice hockey family: Kenya, which became the fifth African country—after Algeria, Morocco, South Africa, and Tunisia—to join the IIHF. This is a strong statement about the International Federation's ability and ambition to establish its sport in new territories. In the second part of his interview, Luc Tardif discusses this geographical expansion, the prospects for 3x3 hockey—which could be included in the Olympic program in 2030—and the possibility of a second term.
Where is 3x3 hockey in terms of development?
We already experimented with it at the Youth Olympic Games in 2020 and 2024. The IOC wanted to see how it performed in competition mode. With the success of the new formats at the Paris Games – rugby sevens, 3x3 basketball, beach volleyball – we're seeing formulas that are perhaps more suited to new generations, and also to developing countries. In rugby union, we would never have seen Fiji on the podium, but in rugby sevens they are. Kenya even beat France in a session of the Sevens Series. There's an opening towards developing countries. Around the world, many ice rinks aren't big enough to hold traditional competitions. This is the case in South America, for example, so we're holding 3x3 demonstrations. We will be at the YOG in 2028, and there are discussions regarding 2030 and 2034. There have been changes at the IOC, so we are looking forward to continuing with the new teams.
Are you thinking about mixed events, as the IOC seems to be pushing more and more in that direction?
This will be possible with the 3x3 system, we've made it adaptable. You can arrange for mixed teams, without any confrontation between boys and girls. We'll first try to develop the boys on one side and the girls on the other, but we're keeping the idea of doing trials in mind.
The IIHF has 84 member federations. You have room to go a little higher, perhaps closer to 100?
Yes. To be an active member, there are conditions to meet, including the presence of ice rinks. Many are being built. There was a big boom in China before the Games. We inaugurated an ice rink in Indonesia, there are also some in the Philippines, Thailand… Hockey is starting to be played everywhere. In North Africa, there are two ice rinks in Morocco. Our latest member is Kenya, even though we don't necessarily imagine hockey there! We held a Women's World Championship in New Zealand. The Gulf countries are getting into it; there are three or four ice rinks in the Emirates, Kuwait has built two. The Asian Winter Games will take place in Saudi Arabia in 2029. It's really a sport that's spreading everywhere. We have targets with population centers in China, Indonesia, India… Hockey is a modern, fast, physical sport. There is extraordinary potential for development. I often say that if the development of hockey depended on Finland, we would be in a bad situation because Finland has 4,5 million inhabitants and 90% of them already watch or play hockey. That's not where we're going to progress, even if we need them. Our role as an IF is to go where hockey isn't present, to sow the seed and make sure it becomes an international sport.
You mention the Asian Winter Games in Saudi Arabia, which have been heavily criticized for their environmental impact. Can the IIHF intervene in these situations to ensure that certain countries don't act "thoughtlessly" ?
We can't stop them from building an ice rink, but we can offer good advice. We have a facility committee to build properly and limit operating costs. We're starting to gain some experience. We're becoming increasingly efficient at maintaining ice at a lower cost, using refrigerant gases that aren't harmful to nature. During the Games, Chinese used CO2 as a refrigerant. We're also working to have zero-emission ice rinks—in Oslo and Chamonix. We're making quite a bit of progress.
"We still have one year left, we will have achieved approximately 90% of the objectives of our strategic plan for 2026."
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Your term will end next year. Are you satisfied with what you've managed to achieve so far?
I haven't been spoiled with Covid, the war in Ukraine, the war in Israel, the big leagues coming to our market... The conditions were difficult. We had put a strategic plan in place, but we often had to manage emergencies. We've returned to a more or less normal rhythm, and overall, I'm very happy with what we said we would. We still have a year left; we will have achieved roughly 90% of the objectives of our strategic plan for 2026. I simply wish I had a little more time, to be a little less focused, to prepare for the future. I'm proud of what we did in that context, so I don't dare imagine what we can do in a normal context.
If you want more time, you will have to run for a second term!
Indeed! I always said I would wait until the beginning of 2026 to make a decision. Eight years, like I did these four years… We have to think about it. For now, I'm not asking myself the question. We'll see where we are, how I am physically and psychologically. We have to take all that into consideration. The family too, who haven't seen much of me during these four years. If I don't go, it mustn't be chaos, the federation must be able to adapt. I set myself the idea of deciding in January 2026, nine months before the deadline.
