International Hockey: Russia Is Back

Charles-Alexis Brisebois
International Hockey: Russia Is Back
Credit: Capture d'écran / X

For several years now, Russia has been unable to participate in international hockey events. The country is being punished because of the war in Ukraine.

But now things have just changed.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport has ruled and announced that the IIHF must, effective immediately, allow Russia to participate in all of its upcoming tournaments.

This means that the Russians will be able to participate in the next World Junior Championship, which begins in less than two months in Edmonton.

Citing player safety (whatever that means) and the integrity of the competitions, the IIHF announced that it is not pleased with the decision.

In addition to the World Junior Championship, the 2027 World Championships (for both men and women) and the Under-18 events are also affected.

We'll see in due course what this means for the 2028 NHL World Cup. The league and the Players' Association will need to consult on the matter.

It's understandable that the IIHF feels the CAS decision is coming quickly, especially with the World Junior Championship taking place in December and January 2027. It's also understandable that there is some unease surrounding the decision.

That said, for young Russian players (such as Alexander Zharovsky, Gleb Pugachyov, and others) who have nothing to do with their country's political decisions, having the chance to play hockey at the international level again is a good thing.

It will also raise the level of play. When the top hockey nations are in the mix, it changes the game.

It's also worth noting that other countries engage in reprehensible actions without having their right to play hockey taken away, which isn't fair. In China, for example, many Uyghurs are still detained in camps.

And what about the United States, which has recently carried out military operations against Iran and Venezuela?

The point is absolutely not to say that we should turn a blind eye to social injustices, of course. But what's good for the cat must also be good for the dog.


In a Nutshell

– Official.

– Wow.

– That Slaf.

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