CAS orders Russia back into ice hockey world championships

Russian ice hockey teams will compete in international championships starting in December after the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled in their favor. This decision reverses a ban that has kept Russia out of major tournaments since 2022.

CAS found that the International Ice Hockey Federation did not provide enough evidence to support its security concerns. The ruling specifically covers the men's and women's world championships for the 2026-27 season. Russia missed the Olympic games earlier this year due to the same exclusion.

The first tournament where Russia can return is the men's world junior championship in Canada. That event begins on December 26 in Edmonton and Red Deer. The ruling also applies to the women's world championship in Canada and the under-18 championships in Minnesota and the Czech Republic in 2027.

The decision creates a difficult situation for Germany, which hosts the men's world championship next year. Franz Reindl, the new IIHF president, is from Germany. Frank H Lutz, chairman of the German ice hockey federation, said on Friday that Germany remains opposed to Russia's participation. He stated that allowing Russia in has substantial security, political, and financial consequences for the hosts.

Logistical questions remain because the draw for the men's tournament has already been made. Adding an extra team would create uneven groups and extend the tournament length. Removing a qualified team to make room for Russia risks backlash, particularly if that team is Ukraine. Ukraine qualified last for the men's worlds, ending a 20-year wait, and currently holds the lowest ranking among the 16 participating teams.

Russian Sport Minister Mikhail Degtyarev wrote on Telegram that CAS recognized the demands of the Russian Hockey Federation as justified. The IIHF expressed disappointment but said it would act in accordance with the ruling. The federation maintains that its original decisions were necessary to protect participant safety and competition integrity. CAS noted its ruling does not decide whether Russia must play as neutral athletes without national symbols.

Since 2022, Russia has played exhibition games with developmental rosters, mostly against Belarus and Kazakhstan. The IIHF has also excluded Belarus citing similar concerns. The CAS ruling on Friday did not mention Belarus. In the history of the men's worlds, Russia and the Soviet Union hold 27 titles, second only to Canada's 28. Russia last won the gold medal in 2014.