Germany is considering withdrawing from hosting the 2027 Ice Hockey World Championship after several European federations said they would refuse to play Russia, following a court ruling overturning a four-year ban on Russian national teams.
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The Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled on October 30 that the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) must allow Russian national teams of all age groups to compete internationally, including at the 2027 World Championship scheduled for May in Germany. The IIHF said it did not agree with the decision but would comply with it.
German Ice Hockey Federation (DEB) President Frank H Lutz said the decision “fundamentally changes the situation” of the tournament.
“Our position remains unchanged: we reject the return of Russian national teams to international ice hockey tournaments,” Lutz said.
“Allowing Russia to participate would have serious consequences for us as host country in terms of security, as well as politically and economically,” Lutz said, adding that DEB was analyzing the decision with the IIHF and would provide further information on next steps.
A two-day meeting of the IIHF’s executive body, centered around the decision, began on Monday.
Finland, Norway, Czech Republic, Latvia, Denmark and Sweden have all announced they will not face Russia in the 2027 championship. Austria has said it is considering joining them. USA Hockey did not respond to a request for comment.
The Finnish Ice Hockey Federation has declared that it will not face Russia until that country ends the all-out war against Ukraine.
President Heikki Hietanen said Finland was working to coordinate a common position among as many countries as possible to tell the IIHF that “none of us will play against Russia” in the current situation.
Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen said that “Russian athletes will not be welcome in Finland next year if Russia continues its war of aggression.”
“I will inform my EU colleagues that we intend to restrict the access of Russian athletes to the entire Schengen area,” Valtonen said.
Czech Interior Minister Lubomir Metnar said the CAS decision did not oblige the Czech Republic to issue visas to Russian nationals, as a decree banning short-term visas for Russian citizens remained in force.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Tuesday that Russia will not be allowed to participate in the World Junior Ice Hockey Championship, which will be held in Alberta starting in late December.
The CAS decision does not apply to the Women’s World Championship, which begins this week in Denmark and will take place without Russia.
Two tournament sponsors said they would pull out if Russia participated. AJ Products, a Swedish office furniture company that has supported the championship since 1989, said it would ask that its logo not be displayed if Russia took part in an “anti-Russia protest”, its chief executive David Bray said.
Finnish tire maker Nokian Tires said “maintaining sponsorship in the event of Russia’s participation would be contrary to our values.”
“Stain the ice with Ukrainian blood”
The European Commission said on Tuesday that while sports federations have the right to determine how they organize their competitions, “both federations and member states must comply with EU sanctions and restrictive measures.”
“Sport should not serve as a propaganda tool, and normalizing the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in international competitions while the war in Ukraine continues is not something we want to support,” said spokesperson Eva Hrncirova.
Hrncirova said the Commission also does not support the use of Russian anthems, symbols and flags at European sporting events.
The Commission noted that the European Council had decided in October that there should be no normalization until a just and lasting peace is established in Ukraine.
Twenty-one members of the European Parliament separately called for sanctions and visa restrictions against Russia following the CAS ruling.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrei Sybiha said there was no reason for Russia to return to international sport as long as the war continued.
“By letting Russian hockey return, CAS stains the ice with Ukrainian blood,” Sybiha said. “Letting them return now would give Moscow the international legitimacy it needs.”
“The Russian war must have consequences, including in international sport,” Sybiha concluded.
Russia has used high-profile athletes as political figures since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in early 2022.
Ice hockey player Alexander Ovechkin appeared in a campaign video for the ruling United Russia party alongside Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in September.
Hundreds of Ukrainian sports facilities have been destroyed by Russian strikes since 2022, and many Ukrainian athletes have been killed.
Gn sports
