Canada won't issue visas to Russian players, blocking them from World Junior Hockey Championship

The Canadian government has formally told the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) that it will not issue visas to Russian players. As a result, Russia's team will not be able to take part in the World Junior Hockey Championship, held from December 26 in Edmonton and Red Deer. The decision runs counter to a ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) that Russia must be allowed back into international tournaments.

The court ruling

In late October, CAS found there were no longer grounds to bar Russia's team from international competition. The ban had been imposed after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The ruling took effect immediately, making the junior championship the first major tournament to which the IIHF had to admit Russia.

The IIHF criticized the ruling but said it would comply. Hockey federations of several leading countries, including Canada, Sweden, Finland, Germany, Czechia and Latvia, also opposed Russia's return, as did major sponsors. Some threatened to end their contracts with the IIHF. In early November the federation notified its members that Norway, the lowest-ranked team in the tournament, had been dropped and Russia had taken its place.

Canada's decision

Unlike the IIHF, national governments are not bound by CAS rulings. The Russian Ice Hockey Federation had anticipated visa refusals and planned a roster made up entirely of players from North American clubs, even arranging support staff. Ottawa undercut that plan by saying those players' work visas do not allow them to represent a national team.

On November 10, the Russian federation sent the IIHF a letter demanding that it either publicly confirm Russia's participation or move the tournament to another country. The IIHF has not yet commented on Canada's statements. Relocation appears nearly impossible: almost no hockey nation with the necessary infrastructure would agree to host Russia, and time is extremely short. Several teams have also already refused to play against Russia.

What comes next

The Hockey News predicts the championship will go ahead as planned, with Norway and without Russia. Upcoming events include the Women's U18 World Championship in Czechia in January, where authorities also say they will not admit the Russian team, the Men's U18 World Championship in the United States in late April, and the Men's World Championship in Germany in late May. The German government has voiced opposition to Russia's participation.