Sybiha: Russia's return to ice hockey will "stain the ice with Ukrainian blood"

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has condemned a ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) that allows Russia to compete in world championships again. He announced his position on X, calling the decision unacceptable. The issue matters because it concerns the return of Russian athletes, including ice hockey teams, to international competition while Russia's war against Ukraine continues.

Sybiha argued that readmitting Russia to world championships would give Moscow the legitimacy it is seeking. In his words, by letting Russian hockey back, CAS is "staining the ice with Ukrainian blood". He noted that Russia has not ended its war, has not stopped killing Ukrainians and has not halted its attacks on Ukrainian cities. He asked what exactly had changed to justify its national ice hockey teams returning to international competition.

Call to act

The minister urged the international sporting community and all of Kyiv's partners to oppose Russia's return to international competitions. He called the ruling shameful and demanded that it be reversed. He also appealed to governments that have not lost their moral compass to deny Russian players entry to their territory. In his view, Russia's war must have consequences, including in international sport.

Earlier developments

The International Ice Hockey Federation previously confirmed that the Russian national team could take Ukraine's place at the 2027 World Championship. Following that decision, Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen said Russian athletes could be barred from entering Finland in 2027.