Canada has joined a group of countries refusing to play ice hockey teams from Russia, with Prime Minister Mark Carney saying Russian players will not compete in next month’s world junior championship in Alberta while the War in Ukraine continues. He also referred to Belarus, saying athletes from both countries would be barred from competing for their nations in Canada for as long as they support the war.
The statements follow a Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling on Friday that lifted a ban on Russian teams in International Ice Hockey Federation events. The IIHF ban was introduced after Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and had been renewed annually. The court said concerns about safety and security were not supported by sufficient evidence.
Several national federations have since said they will not play Russia. Finland called on other countries to oppose the ruling on Monday, and federations from Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Latvia and the Czech Republic announced their support on Tuesday. Norway said it would play in tournaments against all teams except Russia, citing the safety and wellbeing of players, staff and their families.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha thanked European nations for refusing to share the ice with Russia and urged countries to refuse matches and deny visas to Russian players. The ruling has also left host cities to decide whether to stage upcoming tournaments as planned if Russian teams are allowed to compete. The world junior championship is scheduled to begin on 26 December in Alberta.
Sources: The Guardian World.