In 2026, Russian hockey celebrates its 80th anniversary. To mark this milestone, a unique exhibition project is launching: the federal tour of the “Vladimir Potanin Olympic Collection: 80 Years of Hockey Glory”. The exhibition will present rare artifacts associated with the legendary victories of our hockey players to the public.

Visitors will see over 60 exclusive exhibits: original medals, diplomas, Olympic torches, and equipment of renowned hockey players. The collection traces the evolution of award design and sports technology over nearly seven decades — from the USSR team’s golden debut in Cortina d’Ampezzo (1956) to the triumph in PyeongChang (2018).

The exhibition starts in April in Norilsk, one of the Arctic capitals, and will conclude in December in Moscow.

The tour also coincides with another historic date: in 2026, the global sports community marks the 130th anniversary of the first modern Olympic Games.

The project’s initiator and heritage custodian is Vladimir Potanin, President of Nornickel and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Night Hockey League. His collection serves as a bridge connecting the glorious past, the vibrant present, and the future of national sports.

This is a joint project with the Russian International Olympic University and Nornickel, organized with the support of the Night Hockey League. TASS is the General Information Partner of the exhibition, and Sovetsky Sport acts as the Information Partner.

Vladimir Potanin, President of Nornickel, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Night Hockey League:

“We are pleased to present the ‘80 Years of Hockey Glory’ Olympic Collection to the public. This is a truly living chronicle of sport: fans will have a unique opportunity to see rare artifacts from our glorious hockey history firsthand, while modern interactive elements will resonate with families and young audiences. The exhibition is timed not only to the 80th anniversary of Russian hockey, which we will celebrate in December 2026, but also to the 70th anniversary of our first Olympic gold. It was with the victory in Cortina d’Ampezzo in 1956 that the USSR team began its triumphant Olympic marathon. I hope the collection will be of interest to diverse audiences who can experience this as a vivid cultural event. I trust it will add reasons for pride and optimism within the sports community, and that the Russian national team will rightfully return to the international hockey family.”

Alexei Kasatonov, General Director of the Night Hockey League, two-time Olympic Champion:

“Everyone knows the invaluable contribution Vladimir Potanin makes to the development of Russian hockey. The federal tour of his Olympic Collection is a truly unique story for Russian and world sports. Thousands of fans will be able to touch the great heritage of domestic hockey and see with their own eyes items connected to the main victories of the USSR and Russia. World hockey misses our national team, and the absence of Russians at major tournaments, including the current Winter Olympic Games, only confirms that without Russian athletes, the level of competition and the spectacle of competitions fall significantly. We believe that soon, Russia will return to the international arena and reaffirm its status as one of the strongest hockey powers.”

Lev Belousov, Rector of the Russian International Olympic University (RIOU), Professor:

“Exhibitions of Vladimir Potanin’s Olympic Collection always take place in cities that truly love sport. This was the case in Minsk, Beijing, Moscow, Kazan, and Sochi, and Norilsk — a city with its own hockey destiny — has been chosen to start the new tour. The exposition will feature artifacts from all the Olympics that were victorious for our hockey team. For example, the gold medal from the 1956 Games in Cortina d’Ampezzo: it marks the triumphant debut of Soviet sport at the Winter Games. In this city, which 70 years later is hosting the planet’s main sports forum, the USSR team had no equal — not only in hockey but also in the overall team standings. The ‘80 Years of Hockey Glory’ federal tour is a living journey dedicated to hockey heroes of the past and present, and a priceless gift for all sports fans.”

80 Years of Hockey Glory: Vladimir Potanin’s Olympic Collection Federal Tour Kicks Off in Norilsk