Russia urges IIHF to move Canada world juniors as hockey boycotts spread
Russian Ice Hockey Federation president Vladislav Tretiak is demanding that the junior world hockey championship in Canada be postponed or cancelled after Ottawa refused to admit the Russian team. Boycotts are also spreading across other countries and sports.
Vladislav Tretiak, president of the Russian Ice Hockey Federation, is demanding that the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) postpone or cancel the World Junior Championship in Canada next month if Russia is not allowed to take part. Canada has confirmed that Russian players will not be admitted to the 10-nation tournament, which begins on 26 December in Alberta. The dispute follows a ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) last month that restored Russia's right to compete internationally, overturning the IIHF ban imposed after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Russia's demands
Russian news agency TASS reported that Tretiak, speaking at a sports development council meeting in Moscow, said the IIHF has two options: let Russia play, or move the championship, scrap it, or sanction the Canadian federation. He threatened to seek compensation from Canada and possibly Germany, which hosts the men's World Championship in 2027. He also asked the IIHF ethics committee to investigate and sanction federations organising boycotts.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said there would be no Russian or Belarusian teams at the tournament, under any flag. Russian daily Sport-Express reported that the federation had planned a squad of players from NHL clubs, but Ottawa said their work visas do not allow them to play for the national team.
Spreading boycotts
Frank Lutz, head of the German Ice Hockey Association, told the Bundestag sports committee that Germany and several other countries have refused to sign the new tournament schedule if Russia is included. Germany is also considering dropping the men's World Championship in spring 2027. National federations including those of Canada, Sweden, Finland, Germany, Czechia and Latvia have said they will not play Russia. Czechia has signalled it will not issue visas for the women's under-18 World Championship in Ostrava in January. Norway said the IIHF told it that it was being excluded from the tournament to make room for Russia; the IIHF has not confirmed this and is not commenting on the dispute.
On 12 November Finland's government adopted a decree barring entry of Russian athletes, including those under neutral status. Norway plans to expel Russian and Belarusian professional athletes, and Estonia has told the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) that Russians and Belarusians cannot compete there. Russia, meanwhile, has pulled out of the European Boxing Championships in Porec, Croatia.
