Russia back in ice hockey world championships after sport court ruling
Summary
The Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled that Russia must be allowed to return to international ice hockey competitions covered by the ruling, overturning the IIHF’s exclusions for the 2026–27 season. CAS said the IIHF had not provided enough evidence to support its security concerns, but the ruling leaves practical questions about how Russia could be included, including at next year’s men’s world championship in Germany.Key Facts
- The IIHF had excluded Russia from competitions after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
- CAS overturned the IIHF’s decisions barring Russia from events in the 2026–27 season, including the men’s and women’s world championships.
- CAS did not rule on whether Russia must compete without national symbols or on other organizational arrangements.
- The IIHF said it would follow the ruling but maintained that its exclusions were needed to protect safety and competition integrity.
- Germany’s ice hockey federation said Germany remains opposed to Russia’s participation in next year’s men’s world championship.
- The championship draw is already complete, and including Russia could require changes to the teams or tournament format; Ukraine has qualified.
- The first event where Russia could return is the men’s world junior championship, which begins December 26 in Edmonton and Red Deer, Canada.
- The ruling did not mention Belarus, which the IIHF has also excluded from international events.
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