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French hockey player Pierre Crinon banned from 2026 Winter Olympics
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Crinnon taunts fans as he walks back to locker room after fight with Canada’s Tom Wilson
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Wilson’s teammates defended his involvement in brawl, he was not suspended
French hockey player Pierre Crinon has been banned from the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics after he taunted fans in the stands after a fight with another player.
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During France’s 10-2 loss to Canada on Sunday, February 15, Crinnon and Canada’s Tom Wilson engaged in a rare Olympic hockey match before both were ejected from the game.
Fighting, while fairly common in the NHL, is not condoned in the Olympics, but it was what Crenon did later that landed him in hot water.
“Pierre Crinon’s provocative behavior when he came off the ice, even though he had just been excluded from the game for a fight, is a clear violation of the Olympic spirit and undermines the values of our sport,” the French ice hockey federation said in a statement. “Therefore, in full agreement with the French National Olympic and Sports Council, the decision has been taken not to authorize him to participate in the next meeting[s] Olympic Games. “
The fight came after the 30-year-old Crinnon landed a hard blow on Team Canada’s Nathan MacKinnon. Wilson, 31, took issue with the interaction and chased Crinnon, who then threw him into the ice, The Athletic reported.
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The referee separated the two players and both were ejected from the game.
Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
In a video shared on social media, Crenon put his hands over his ears as he returned to the locker room to gesture and egg on the booing Canadian fans.
Crenon will miss the qualifying match against Germany on Tuesday, February 17.
Aside from being ejected, Wilson, who plays for the NHL’s Washington Capitals, was not punished for participating in the game, and his teammates weren’t too surprised by his behavior.
“That’s exactly what Willie did,” Canada’s Brendan Hagel told The Athletic. “He stands up for his teammates. Obviously, we didn’t like what happened with Mike behind the net. That’s what you call a team. That’s why everyone praises and loves Tom Wilson because that’s what he does.”
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To learn more about all the Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls, visit people.com for ongoing coverage before, during and after the games. Watch the Milan Cortina Olympic and Paralympic Games on NBC and Peacock starting February 6.
Read the original article on People