Is fighting allowed in the Olympics? Explaining stricter rules, penalties for hockey vs. NHL

In most sports, a fight breaking out would be headline news for a week and shown on repeat for every sports talk show. 

In hockey, fighting is commonplace, at least in the NHL. Fighting isn't exactly legal in the NHL; participating in a fight carries a major penalty, but it isn't outlawed. There are plenty of fans who attend hockey games who, aside from their team earning a win, want to see a big hockey fight more than anything else. And if you manage to see the rare goalie fight? You've hit the lottery. 

The Winter Games in 2026 bring another round of international hockey. Players will don the colors of their home nation and try to earn a gold medal. NHL fans tuning in may be surprised, however, by how the Olympics handles hockey. 

Here is more on whether fighting is allowed in Olympic hockey. 

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Is fighting allowed in the Olympics?

No, fighting is not permitted in the Olympics. 

They can't stop them from dropping the gloves, but while NHL referees give players a little leeway to handle their business initially, Olympic referees will do their best to separate the players before any punches are thrown.

Fighting in the NHL comes with a five-minute major penalty. The Olympics are conducted under International Ice Hockey Federation rules that state, "Any player who persists in continuing or attempting to continue a 'fight or altercation' after they been ordered by the referee to stop, or who resists a linesperson in the discharge of their duties shall, at the discretion of the referee, incur at least a major penalty, plus an automatic game misconduct penalty."

A major penalty means that the player will be removed from play for five game minutes. While that could put their team at a disadvantage, the game misconduct penalty is an instant ejection. Ejections are at the referee's discretion and can be handed out if both players continue fighting after being urged to stop, or if a "third man in" teammate goes in to help break it up, because players are supposed to be at their bench during the fight. 

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Why is fighting allowed in the NHL?

Fighting in the NHL is a loophole of sorts. There are rules in place to punish those who choose to fight, but the act of fighting isn't banned like it is by the IIHF. 

The act of fighting is also a longstanding tradition in hockey. It was common as the sport grew in Canada, and it spilled into the early years of the NHL. When the league decided to regulate fighting without ejections more than a century ago, it only further normalized fighting as part of the game.

Fighting is also viewed by many as a check on other players. In baseball, pitchers can throw at opponents and they know if they do, it is likely one of their teammates will get hit. The chance for fighting lets anyone know that if they choose to lay a dirty hit, they may have to answer for it by fighting. 

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How does the NHL handle fighting?

Per NHL rules, "A fight shall be deemed to have occurred when at least one player punches or attempts to punch an opponent repeatedly or when two players wrestle in such a manner as to make it difficult for the Linespersons to intervene and separate the combatants."

Here are the possible penalties for fighting in the NHL:

Five-minute major penalty

Players who engage in a fight automatically receive a five-minute major penalty.

"A major penalty shall be imposed on any player who fights," the NHL rulebook states. While the penalty is significant, teams often won't be shorthanded compared to their opponent because it takes (at least) two to fight. 

Match penalty

A match penalty, or an ejection, is possible if a player goes outside the boundaries of what is considered a fair fight.

"Any player wearing tape or any other material on his hands (below the wrist) who cuts or injures an opponent during an altercation will receive a match penalty," the NHL rulebook states, also stating that a match penalty should be given "to a player who punches an unsuspecting or unwilling opponent (i.e. “sucker punch”) and causes an injury."