Germany hopes to host world ice hockey championship — without Russia
International protests continue after a court ruled that Russia must be allowed to return to international ice hockey. Germany is seeking a solution that will allow the country to host next year's world championship.
Germany is aiming to host the World Ice Hockey Championship, but the possibility of Russia's participation remains uncertain. The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) has been granted permission to allow Russia to return to international play, following a Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruling. This decision has prompted several major ice hockey nations, including Finland, Sweden, and Czechia, to threaten boycotts if Russia is permitted to compete.
Additionally, key sponsors are considering withdrawing their support if Russia is allowed to take part. The first tournament expected to be affected is the Men's World Juniors, set to begin in Canada in late December, followed by the IIHF's main event, the Men's World Ice Championship, to be hosted by Germany in May. Germany's government spokesman, Stefan Kornelius, has confirmed that talks with various stakeholders have made it clear that Russia's involvement would make hosting the championship practically impossible, both in terms of sports and economics.
The government remains hopeful for a diplomatic resolution that would enable Germany to proceed with the tournament as planned in Gelsenkirchen, Mannheim, and Düsseldorf in May. However, given the boycotts that would follow Russia's readmission, Kornelius believes this to be an unlikely outcome. For now, Germany intends to explore alternative solutions through dialogue to ensure the tournament can still take place.
Written by urgent.news from DW News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
