Belarus barred from 2027 ice hockey championships as IIHF weighs Russia's return after court ruling
Separately, the IIHF said it "continues to disagree" with an Oct. 30 ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) that overturned its exclusion of Russian teams from international competitions.
The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) has decided to bar Belarus from the 2027 World Championship and World Junior Championship, after their Disciplinary Board partially approved an appeal by the Belarusian Ice Hockey Association but found no legal basis to reinstate them immediately. This exclusion stemmed from existing tournament formats, schedules, ticketing, and logistics concerns.
The federation is currently reviewing the possibility of implementing a Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruling that could allow Russian teams to return to international competition, while ensuring safety, financial stability, and the future of the sport. The CAS ruling has sparked widespread criticism from Ukraine and other leading hockey nations, with some threatening to boycott the 2027 World Championship if Russian teams are reinstated.
Ukrainian athletes and officials have expressed their concerns and disappointment regarding the potential return of Russian teams, fearing the loss of their own qualification for the tournament.
Written by urgent.news from Kyiv Independent's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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