Germany’s AfD and Left Party call for Russia to be allowed to compete in Ice Hockey World Championship despite government opposition

Two German parliamentary parties, Alternative for Germany (AfD) and The Left, have expressed their backing for Russia's national hockey team to rejoin international competition, including the Ice Hockey World Championship set to take place in Germany this season. Jörn König, sports policy spokesperson for AfD, stated that Russian athletes should be granted visas, while Christian Görke from The Left deemed the court's decision a "regrettable reality" that "cannot be ignored." Görke pointed out that Russian athletes have been competing in other sports for some time.

In late October, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) demanded that Russia's national team be allowed to compete under its own flag and anthem in international tournaments, a decision that drew significant opposition from Canada and many European countries. Governments hosting the upcoming tournaments are seeking ways to prevent Russian participation, while national teams threaten to boycott if they are forced to play against them. The World Championship will be hosted in Germany in May.

The German government has publicly opposed Russia's participation, citing both sporting and economic reasons, and has not ruled out pulling out of hosting duties altogether. AfD and The Left are opposition parties in the German parliament, collectively holding 214 out of 630 seats.