The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled on Friday that Russian teams must be allowed to return to the ice hockey world championships, overturning an exclusion in place since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
CAS set aside International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) decisions excluding Russia from events in the 2026-27 season, including the men’s and women’s world championships. The panel found the IIHF’s safety and security arguments were not supported by sufficient evidence.
The ruling did not decide whether Russian teams must play as neutrals, without national symbols, or other organisational questions. The IIHF said it was disappointed, maintained its decisions were necessary to protect the safety of participants, and said it would comply with the ruling while urgently assessing the practical steps needed.
The return creates immediate complications for next year’s men’s world championship in Germany, where Ukraine has also qualified, and it is unclear how Russia would fit in now that the draw has already been made. The first tournament Russia could return to is the men’s world junior championship in Edmonton and Red Deer, Canada, starting on 26 December. The ruling did not mention Belarus, which the IIHF has also excluded.
Source: Al Jazeera, NBC Sports
