Czechia won’t grant visas for Russian women’s team at upcoming U-18 tournament

A new wrinkle in the saga following an international court’s controversial decision.

After a cabinet meeting on Monday, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis announced that the country will not issue visas to Russian players seeking to compete in the upcoming IIHF Under-18 Women’s World Championship, set to take place in Ostrava from Jan. 8-16.

Babis cited the ongoing war in Ukraine as a major reason the country wouldn’t allow Russia to play in the event.

“It doesn’t make sense to me as long as the war in Ukraine continues,” Babis said in his translated remarks. “It would create the impression that war and killing are normal, which we reject.”

The announcement comes after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled on Friday that the Russian Ice Hockey Federation can immediately participate in International Ice Hockey Federation tournaments, ending a ban instituted after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Babis added that he believes in the separation of politics and athletics, but the CAS’ decision waives that notion.

“I agree that politics should not interfere with sports, but this decision brings politics into it.”

In 2023, Czechia instituted a suspension of granting visas to Russian national teams. Interior Minister Lubomír Metnar mentioned that it will not change, regardless of the CAS verdict.

“The government regulation from 2023,” Metnar explained. “Which prohibits the granting of visas to Russian national teams, is still in force.”

Czechia’s firm stance on keeping Russia out of its country has been part of a massive wave of resistance from the IIHF and many hockey federations. The city of Turku, Finland, announced on Monday that it will not host the 2028 IIHF World Junior Championship if Russia is allowed to play. Czechia and Finland’s hockey federations, along with Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Latvia, have come out and said that they will refuse to play Russia in any international games.

Russia’s return to IIHF competition would be the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship, set to take place in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta. Hockey Canada released a statement last week, stating that it is disappointed with the CAS’ ruling, and that it will be in close contact with the IIHF regarding how to approach the World Juniors, which begins on Dec. 26.

If Russia is allowed to play at the Women’s U-18s, the lowest-ranked team heading into the tournament, Germany, would be removed to make way for Russia.