Marie-Philip Poulin faces shocking moment at Olympic medal ceremony

Team Canada’s women came away with silver after a hard-fought overtime loss to Team USA on Thursday, but the focus quickly shifted to what happened after the game. Superstar Marie-Philip Poulin, potentially competing in her final Olympics, requested to address Canadian fans and thank them for their support, but the Italian Olympic staff said no.

According to Luc Gelinas of RDS on the air of CIHO-FM, Poulin was explicitly refused the right to speak French during the medal ceremony. For a player whose family and closest supporters are francophone, this was a shocking and unnecessary snub. Gelinas explained it clearly, saying that it’s the ultimate insult for Poulin, via DansLesCoulisses.

Poulin’s legacy in Canadian hockey is unmatched. She has 39 Olympic points (21 goals, 18 assists), three gold medals, and is widely considered one of the greatest female hockey players in the sport’s history. For many fans, this moment left a sour taste, overshadowing an otherwise stellar career with what feels like a final injustice.

While questions about the future of Team Canada heading into the 2030 Olympics remain, the way Poulin was treated has ignited debate across the country. French-speaking fans, in particular, see this as a deeply symbolic misstep. For a legend like Poulin, whose contributions helped define Canadian women’s hockey, the ceremony should have been a celebration, not a controversy.