Michael Fora (L) and Rudolfs Balcers during their time with the Kamloops Blazers. (Image Credit: Kamloops Blazers/File)

By Victor Kaisar

Olympic Dreams

Former Blazers Fora, Balcers to play at 2026 Winter Olympics

Jan 10, 2026 | 1:15 PM

KAMLOOPS — A pair of former Kamloops Blazers are set to lace their skates and compete at next month’s Olympic Games in Italy.

Michael Fora is one of eight people tasked with patrolling the blueline for Switzerland while Rudolfs Balcers is one of 14 forwards who will play for Latvia at the men’s Olympic tournament which runs Feb. 11 to 22 in Milan.

Blazer Alumni on the World Stage! 🌎🏒

Congrats to Michael Fora (Team Switzerland) and Rudolfs Balcers (Team Latvia) for being selected to represent their countries at the 2026 Winter Olympics! pic.twitter.com/JQUGq7v27N

— Kamloops Blazers (@blazerhockey) January 9, 2026

Fora was with the Blazers for the 2014-15 WHL season, and he finished with six goals and 32 points in 60 games. With the exception of one American Hockey League game in 2018-19, Fora has spent the rest of career in his native Switzerland.

The 30-year-old right-shot defenceman has won three IIHF World Championship silver medals with Switzerland in 2018, 2024, and 2025.

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Switzerland will face France, Canada, and Czechia in Group A at the Olympic Games.

Balcers, meanwhile, led all Blazers with 40 goals during the 2016-17 WHL season. He added 37 assists and finished with 77 points in 66 games. The Latvian then added two goals and one assist in six playoff games.

A fifth-round pick of the San Jose Sharks in 2015, Balcers scored 28 goals and 62 points in 170 NHL games over five seasons with Ottawa, San Jose, Florida, and Tampa Bay. He also spent time in the AHL, and has been playing in Switzerland since the 2023-24 season.

The 28-year-old left-shooting winger won a bronze with Latvia at the 2023 IIHF World Championships.

Latvia is in Group C at the Olympics, and they’ll face the United States, Germany, and Denmark in the preliminary round.

Kevin Bozon, 30, the brother of former Blazers forward Tim Bozon, was also named to Team France’s Olympic roster.

The 31-year-old Tim put up 75 goals and 169 points in 153 games over two and a half seasons in Kamloops between 2011 and 2014. The elder Bozon also played in parts of three seasons in the AHL before moving to play in Switzerland in the 2017-18 season.

While Tim has played for France at numerous tournaments, including Olympic qualifiers in 2021 and 2024, he was left off the roster for the upcoming Olympic Games.

Finland, Sweden, Slovakia, and Italy make up Group B at the Olympics.

The three group winners and the best second-placed team will earn a bye to the quarterfinals, while all other teams will play a qualification round. The single-elimination knockout round will conclude with the gold medal game on Feb. 22.

This year’s Olympics is set to feature NHL players for the first time since 2014. You can find the latest team rosters here.