Do You Believe in Miracles? More Than Sports: How the IOC Uses the Olympic Games to Enforce International Law

Last week, at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, the United States swept the sport of Ice Hockey. The Men’s and Women’s teams both beat Canada in overtime to achieve greatness, with each athlete earning not only gold medals but also a place in history. The Men’s team accomplished the feat exactly 46 years after the 1980 “Miracle on Ice.”

The story of the 1980 Games? A ragtag group of amateur U.S. hockey players rising to the occasion and taking on the juggernaut Soviet Union. The Soviets, comprised of professional all-stars, were the undisputed world’s best. On the other hand, the American team consisted of recent college graduates who had been playing together for just months before the Opening Ceremonies. It was David versus Goliath. The underdog U.S. team, led by legendary coach Herb Brooks, had made a name for itself throughout the Games, and was undefeated heading into their matchup with the U.S.S.R. Given the historical background and tense political pressures between the nations, the game quickly became more than just ice hockey. It developed into a tale of two countries deadlocked in the Cold War, engaging in a symbolic battle on a small hockey rink in Lake Placid, NY. The Americans, against all odds, beat the U.S.S.R. and went on to win Olympic gold after defeating Finland. The “Miracle on Ice” is cited as one of the greatest sporting events of all time, and its symbolic impact was massive.

At this year’s games, something was different. The Russians were nowhere to be found. Pulled from the Games like Tretiak (Vladislav Tretiak was the 1980 Soviet goaltender and was shockingly benched after the first period of the game) from his net in 1980, the IOC barred Russia from competing in the Games, citing its invasion of Ukraine. This invasion violated international law. But what do their athletes have to do with it? Why punish some of the world’s best for the military actions of their home country? The answer lies in the symbolic power of the Games. As 1980 demonstrated, complex international conflicts can sometimes be distilled into sports and consumed by the world. To allow a nation actively accused of war crimes to parade its flag on a global stage is to legitimize it and look away from its atrocities.

Since their inception, the Olympic Games have been a celebration of unity and continue to function as a global display of mankind’s greatness. The honor of competing cannot be overstated. To strip a nation of that honor is no small punishment. It is a loud and deliberate statement. Nations strive to be represented on that stage, even if only in sport.

International law is a system that operates through cooperation and often voluntary adherence with international custom. The harder nations work to cooperate and adhere to customs, the smoother the system runs. In Herb Brooks’ words, “the legs feed the wolf.” By barring Russia from the Games, the IOC sent a message to the world that violations of international law and its customs carry consequences. In theory, this pressure encourages nations to comply with international norms, and promotes a world of peace and harmony. Even if, at times, that may take a miracle.

Article Written by George Haywood

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