The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) has announced its decision regarding the participation of Russia and Belarus in upcoming international tournaments. This comes after a ruling from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) last week, which reinstated Russia in international hockey competitions after a lengthy exclusion following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
In a statement released on Saturday, the IIHF expressed its disagreement with the CAS ruling but acknowledged the need to comply with the necessary steps outlined by the court. The federation is currently assessing what conditions must be met to ensure the safety and integrity of its championships while also protecting the organization’s financial stability and the future of international ice hockey.
The IIHF's statement indicated, “The IIHF must work within the applicable framework while upholding its responsibility to preserve international competition and protect the sport as a whole.” As a result, the federation is exploring options, including discussions with all affected Member National Associations (MNAs), notably the Russian Ice Hockey Federation, to find a constructive way forward that serves the interests of global ice hockey.
On the previous Friday, the CAS had overturned the IIHF's previous decisions to exclude Russia from tournaments scheduled for the 2026-27 season. This exclusion was implemented due to security, logistical, and competitive concerns stemming from the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. As a result, Russia missed the Olympic tournaments earlier this year, with CAS citing a lack of substantial evidence to justify the IIHF’s security concerns.
In light of the CAS ruling, several European hockey federations have announced their refusal to compete against Russia in international tournaments. Nations such as Finland, Sweden, Czechia, Norway, Denmark, Latvia, and Austria have protested the reinstatement, emphasizing their opposition to Russia's participation.
Additionally, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney confirmed that Russian players would not be allowed to compete in the upcoming world junior hockey championship, scheduled to be held in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta, next month. Carney stated, “So if you’re asking specifically about the world juniors, the Russians will not be there.”
Furthermore, the IIHF also decided that Belarus will not participate in the 2027 world juniors and world championships. This ruling was based on a decision from the IIHF Disciplinary Board, which partially upheld an appeal from the Belarusian Ice Hockey Association but confirmed it had no legal grounds to demand immediate reintegration into international events.
The IIHF Council considered various factors in its decision, including the current sporting and organizational arrangements for the championships involved, such as competition structures, schedules, ticketing, and operational planning. As a result, the council concluded that Belarusian national teams would be excluded from both the 2027 world juniors and the world championship.
The world junior championship is scheduled to start on December 26, featuring teams including Canada, the defending champion Sweden, Czechia, Switzerland, the United States, Germany, Latvia, Slovakia, Norway, and Finland. The senior men’s world championship is set to commence on May 14 in Düsseldorf and Mannheim, Germany.
