IIHF member organizations working together to keep Russia out of international tournaments
In a statement posted on the organization’s official website, the Finnish Ice Hockey Association said they have been in contact with other federations to prevent Russia from competing in international tournaments.
The Court of Abritration for Sport ruled on Friday that the International Ice Hockey Federation was to allow Russia to participate in IIHF World Championship tournaments, starting with the 2027 World Junior Championship in Edmonton and Red Deer. Since then, various top-level countries have shared their disappointment in the decision.
“We are currently gathering as many countries as possible to form a common front to tell the IIHF that none of us will play against Russia in this situation,” Finnish chairman Heikki Hietanen said in a translated statement. “This weighs significantly more heavily in the balance than the fact that we only announce the matter on our own behalf.”
According to the statement, the Finnish Ice Hockey Association board said they plan to keep “all possible means at its disposal to resolve the matter.” The IIHF board of directors met on Monday as part of a two-day meeting to discuss the issue.
“It is the IIHF’s responsibility to inform about the meeting once a decision has been made. I have naturally made Finland’s position on the matter clear and we will continue this work tomorrow,” Hietanen said.
Finland hasn’t cited which teams they are working with. But many top teams, including Sweden, Canada, Germany and Czechia, have shared strong opposition to the decision from the CAS.
Russia has been banned from IIHF competition since the nation invaded Ukraine shortly after the 2022 Beijing Olympics, which saw Russian athletes play under the ‘Russian Olympic Committee’ banner. The country was banned along with Belarus, which supported Russia during the war.
However, in the last few months, the International Olympic Committee lifted its suspension of the ROC, while the IIHF has reinstated Belarus for the U-18 Men’s Worlds, the Division IV Women’s Worlds and the U-18 Division III Women’s Worlds. Notably, Russia and Belarus are able to participate in non-IIHF events, and frequently play in smaller national team events against each other.