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Russia and Belarus to Miss Next Year's World Championships Due to Security Concerns
๐Ÿ‡ญ๐Ÿ‡ท Croatia /Sports

Russia and Belarus to Miss Next Year's World Championships Due to Security Concerns

From Veฤernji List · () Croatian

Translated from Croatian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified New plan
  • The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) will not allow Russian and Belarusian men's national teams to compete in world championships next year, citing security and integrity concerns.
  • This decision contradicts recent sanctions relief for Russia by the International Olympic Committee, though the IIHF will consider Russian women's teams on a case-by-case basis.
  • Russia and Belarus have been banned from all IIHF events since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) has confirmed that Russian and Belarusian men's national teams will continue to be excluded from world championships next year. The federation cited "security reasons and concern for the integrity of the sport" as the basis for its decision.

This stance by the IIHF appears to diverge from recent actions by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which has eased some sanctions against Russia. However, the IIHF's decision leaves a potential opening for the Russian women's national team. The federation indicated in May that decisions regarding Russian teams' participation in the 2026/27 season would be made "on a case-by-case basis," with a final decision on the women's team expected in November.

security reasons and concern for the integrity of the sport

โ€” International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF)This phrase explains the IIHF's stated reasoning for excluding Russian and Belarusian teams from upcoming world championships.

Russia and Belarus have faced a complete ban from all IIHF-sanctioned competitions since February 2022, following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The IIHF's continued exclusion of the men's teams underscores the ongoing international sporting repercussions of the conflict, even as other international bodies reassess their policies.

on a case-by-case basis

โ€” International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF)This phrase describes the IIHF's approach to considering the participation of Russian teams in the 2026/27 season, particularly for the women's national team.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Veฤernji List in Croatian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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