During a heated quarterfinal match at the 2026 Winter Olympics, Anaheim Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas shouted a homophobic slur at a referee while representing Czechia against Canada. The incident occurred late in the second period after Gudas received a penalty, amid a game that saw him also injure Canada's captain Sidney Crosby. Canada advanced with a 4-3 overtime victory.
The men's ice hockey quarterfinal between Canada and Czechia took place on February 18, 2026, in Milan, Italy, as part of the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics. Radko Gudas, a defenseman for the NHL's Anaheim Ducks and a member of the Czechia national team, became the center of controversy during the match.
Footage shared on social media captured Gudas yelling, “Get off your f****** knees, you f****** c*** sucker!” The outburst followed a two-minute penalty for roughing—or unnecessary roughness, depending on reports—against Canada's Brandon Hagel, a left winger for the Tampa Bay Lightning. The slur appeared directed at the referee, Sweden's Mikael Holm, though it was unclear if it targeted someone else out of frame.
Earlier in the game, Gudas delivered a hit on Canada's captain Sidney Crosby, forcing the Pittsburgh Penguins star off the ice with a lower-body injury. Crosby did not return and later missed Canada's Olympic final due to the injury. Despite the challenges, Canada rallied to defeat Czechia 4-3 in overtime, eliminating the Czech team from medal contention.
Gudas addressed the clash in a post-game interview with Idnes.cz but did not mention the slur specifically. “I tried to play hard, like everyone else. It was like a playoff, like Game 7. I hope Sid is OK,” he said. “You never want to see someone get hurt. Especially in games like that at big tournaments.”
The incident drew fan backlash online, with one Reddit user commenting on Crosby's injury and the slur: “Injured an Olympic legend after a dirty play, got one penalty when he deserved four, and yelled a homophobic slur at the ref.” The International Olympic Committee's Code of Ethics prohibits discrimination on grounds including sexual orientation, though no immediate disciplinary action against Gudas was reported in the sources.
Canada advanced to the semifinals, where they beat Finland 3-2 before losing the gold medal game 2-1 in overtime to the United States, who claimed their first men's hockey gold since 1980.
