Gretzky backs Carney’s Russian world junior ban

Finland's foreign ministry is set to introduce new regulations to restrict the participation of Russian athletes, Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen disclosed on November 6. The swift amendment process was unveiled following discussions between the Finnish government and President Alexander Stubb. Valtonen emphasized the urgent need for Russia to cease its aggressive conflict in Ukraine.

This announcement follows a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) ruling that permits Russia to rejoin international ice hockey events, which has sparked widespread disapproval from countries where the sport enjoys immense popularity. A number of nations have pledged to boycott the Ice Hockey World Championship should Russia rejoin, with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney vowing that Russian athletes wouldn't participate in a junior championship slated to take place there.

Valtonen, a prominent proponent of the EU's stringent sanctions on Russia, shared her call for a comprehensive travel ban on Russian nationals in an October open letter. Finland, alongside other EU nations, has ceased issuing tourist visas to Russian citizens since the country's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Nonetheless, Finnish rules still permit Russian citizens to enter the country for sports events, according to Jussi Tanner, a spokesperson for the Finnish foreign ministry.

Draft amendments are already in the works, Tanner confirmed to Helsingin Sanomat. Despite Valtonen's EU-level advocacy, a comprehensive ban across the bloc appears to be a distant prospect. EU Secretary-General Kaja Kallas indicated in October that her team is considering new measures to impede Russia's return to global sports. A European Commission official hinted that the 22nd sanctions package, expected to include restrictions on Russian athletes, could be proposed as early as November 11.