Finland: The World Cup cannot be played if Russia is there

Russia and Belarus have been suspended from all international ice hockey since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The suspension has been formally justified on security grounds.

Last week, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) lifted the suspension for Russia.

The IIHF has previously said that the countries' participation must be evaluated from tournament to tournament. Now it has been announced that Belarus will be stopped from both the JVM in Canada, which begins in December, and the WC in Germany next year.

The association also writes that it is evaluating how Cas's decision to admit Russia can be implemented in a way that "protects the organization's financial stability" and "ensures the long-term future of the sport."

Therefore, the IIHF writes, it will start a dialogue with the federations affected, including the Russian Ice Hockey Federation, "to find a constructive way forward".

Finland was the first to announce that it does not intend to play matches against the Russian national team. Sami Kauhanen, CEO of the Finnish Ice Hockey Federation, says that matter has not changed after the IIHF's announcement:

"Finland has already established its position for the IIHF: we will not play against Russia as long as the war of aggression against Ukraine continues," he says to the confederation's website.

"The World Cup cannot be played if Russia is allowed to participate. A significant number of countries have already refused to play against Russia," he also says.

Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Latvia and the Czech Republic have followed in Finland's footsteps and announced that they refuse to play against Russia.