Hockey Canada And USA Hockey Lose In Swiss Court Over IIHF Jersey Battle

A Swiss court has ruled that the IIHF has exclusive rights for all jerseys worn at international competitions.

The ruling, which was reported first by CBC, settles a nine-month debate over whether individual country federations or the International Ice Hockey Federation had the final say on jersey sales.

On Dec. 30, Hockey Canada announced that it had extended its commercial partnership with Bauer Hockey until 2030, making them the exclusive manufacturer to sell replica Team Canada jerseys and that Bauer would launch the national team's new primary jersey during the 2026–2027 season.

There was just one problem: the IIHF, according to its statutes and regulations, is responsible for all commercial rights related to the presentation of major international tournaments. While the rights to logos and emblems belong to each of the national  federations, it is the IIHF's role to approve all jersey designs and obtain permissions to market the jerseys.

As such, IIHF has the final say.

Hockey Canada can get Bauer to produce a jersey. But if it's not approved by the IIHF, then it cannot be worn in an international competition. 

"This is the first time in IIHF history that two members have broken the solidarity needed for the development of international hockey," Tardif told CBC’s Martin Leclerc. "As a native of Quebec, I never thought I would find myself in a situation where I have to defend the IIHF's rights against Hockey Canada, especially on the eve of a retirement I feel I’ve earned.

"I could have done without all this, but I am the president of the international federation, and I intend to see my term through to the end. I have always fought against injustice, and I won’t stop doing so now. It’s unfortunate, because we tried to avoid this situation. But it takes two to find a solution."

It wasn't just Tardif who was surprised by Hockey Canada's actions.

Graeme Roustan, who owns The Hockey News along with TRUE Hockey, wrote that he was "floored on December 30 when I saw that Hockey Canada had extended its agreement with Bauer for eight years without issuing a call for tenders."

According to Roustan, there was no way of knowing whether Hockey Canada actually got the best deal for its members, considering that Hockey Canada didn't even bother to see what other offers were on the table. 

"A competitive process could have resulted in more equipment for boys and girls across the country, or more funds to curb the constant rise in registration fees," wrote Roustan. "Private organizations — whether for-profit or not — have the right to enter into whatever agreements they choose, even bad ones.

"But since Hockey Canada receives millions of dollars annually from taxpayers, it should be held to higher standards."

Even worse is that Hockey Canada made a deal with Bauer at a time when trade relations between the U.S. and Canada have grown increasingly volatile. Bauer's head office is located in New Hampshire. TRUE Hockey, meanwhile, was relocated from Tennessee after Roustan purchased the company in Sept. 2025. Its custom skates are manufactured in Winnipeg, Man. while its goaltender division is in Mascouche, Que.

Roustan has also personally written to Hockey Canada’s board of directors demanding the resignations of Board Chair Jonathan Goldbloom and CEO Katherine Henderson. According to Roustan, Henderson assured him that TRUE Hockey, along with other manufacturers, like CCM, would have the opportunity to participate in a competitive bidding process. Instead, there was not a public call for tenders. 

Further muddying the waters is that Bauer's current head of marketing, Mary-Kay Messier, sat on the selection committee that chose Henderson as Hockey Canada's CEO in 2023. Golbloom chaired that selection committee.

"In my view, having a senior executive from Bauer — a company linked to Hockey Canada by a multi-year, multi-million-dollar contract — sit on the selection committee for Hockey Canada’s next CEO raises questions regarding ethics and governance principles," Roustan wrote on his LinkedIn page. "Especially when Bauer is subsequently awarded another multi-year contract without a call for tenders, at a time when Hockey Canada is seeking public funds."

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