Turku Says It Will Not Host Junior Ice Hockey Worlds if Russia Plays

The Finnish city of Turku may pull out of hosting the world junior (U-20) ice hockey championship if Russia's national team is allowed to compete. The tournament, run by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), was planned to be held jointly by Turku and Tampere around the turn of 2027/2028.

"While Russia is waging war in Ukraine, we cannot accept the Russian team playing in Turku," said the city's mayor, Elo. She expressed hope that the IIHF and Finnish authorities would find a way to keep Russia out. If the Russian team does not play, the city would gladly host the event, she added.

Background

On Friday the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ordered the IIHF to immediately reinstate Russia's ice hockey teams in international tournaments. The ruling covers this season's world championships for senior men, U-20 and U-18 teams, as well as the women's worlds. Russian teams have been barred from IIHF competition since February 2022, when Russia launched its renewed invasion of Ukraine. In that time they missed five world championships and the 2026 Olympics in Milan and Cortina.

The first tournament Russia could enter under the CAS decision is the world junior championship at the turn of the year.

Reactions elsewhere

On Monday the Finnish Ice Hockey Association said Finland's national team will not play against Russian players until the war in Ukraine ends. The same day, a two-day IIHF board meeting began, with the Russia question as its main topic.

Czech media reported that Canadian sports minister Adam van Koeverden said over the weekend that Canada is ready to refuse visas to Russians arriving in late December for the junior championship. Germany does not rule out giving up hosting the men's world championship, scheduled for 14–30 May in Düsseldorf and Mannheim.

Swedish furniture maker AJ Products said, in response to the CAS ruling, that it will stop funding the ice hockey world championship for the first time since 1989.