Milan, Italy – France’s Pierre Crinon will not participate further in the men’s Olympic ice hockey tournament at the Milan Cortina 2026 Games after receiving a suspension from the French Ice Hockey Federation (FFHG) following a fight during Sunday’s match against Canada.
The incident occurred with seven minutes remaining in Canada’s 10-2 victory over France. Crinon engaged in a physical altercation with Canadian player Tom Wilson, resulting in both players receiving two-minute penalties for roughing and a 25-minute penalty for fighting – a prohibited act in the Olympics. NBC Olympics reports that the FFHG deemed Crinon’s subsequent behavior as he left the ice to be unacceptable.
“The provocative behavior of Pierre Crinon when he left the ice, even though he had just been excluded from the match for a fight, constitutes a clear violation of the Olympic spirit and as well undermines the values of our sport,” the FFHG stated. The decision to suspend Crinon was made in alignment with the French National Olympic and Sports Committee.
While the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) has not imposed any additional sanctions on either player, the FFHG felt compelled to take action. Yahoo Sports notes that Crinon, 30, will be ineligible for the remainder of the tournament. France finished at the bottom of Group A with zero points and will face Germany in the playoff round on Tuesday, February 17, 2026. A win would advance them to a quarterfinal matchup against Slovakia.
The fight began after Crinon checked Canadian forward Nathan McKinnon high, prompting Wilson to retaliate. ESPN details how Wilson initially took Crinon to the ice, and further pushing and shoving ensued after the referees intervened. Despite the on-ice penalties, the IIHF had initially cleared both players to participate in their teams’ next games.
France’s hopes of advancing in the tournament now face a significant challenge with the loss of a key player. The suspension underscores the emphasis on sportsmanship and adherence to the Olympic spirit, even amidst the intensity of competition.
