Russia can throw Norway out of JVM: "Unfair"

- We have been informed of the IIHF's plan for a new game schedule for the JVM, which is a consequence of Cas's decision on Russia's participation in international ice hockey, says the Swedish Ice Hockey Federation's general secretary Tony Wirehn in a comment.

- I feel strongly about the Norwegian junior national team, which has qualified for the JVM, but is now at risk of losing its place. It is difficult to see it as anything other than unfair, he continues.

In Norway, the anger and disappointment is great.

- It is surreal, says Petter Salsten, general secretary of the Norwegian confederation, to Dagbladet.

- It is incredibly sad and a shame for all the players.

Last Friday's announcement by Cas, the Court of Arbitration for Sport, announcing that Russia has the right to participate in international ice hockey tournaments again, has shaken the hockey world.

Russia and Belarus have been suspended since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022. A decision that the Russian ice hockey federation appealed - and now has been right.

According to Cas, Russia must be prepared for a place in the various World Cup finals in 2027, the first of which is the Junior World Cup which begins in December.

This weekend, the national confederations had access to an updated game schedule for the JVM that the International Hockey Federation sent out.

In that game schedule, Norway is not included, but their place has been taken by Russia.

When Russia was suspended, it was also decided that when they were allowed to return to the championship again, they would do so with the same place in the rankings as before the suspension. With that, Russia is one of the ten teams that, according to the ranking, will be allowed to play in the JVM.

Norway, who are newcomers to the A group, after having won the B group a year ago, are allowed, according to the schedule sent out, to leave their place to Russia and thus once again play in the B group.

But there are still a lot of question marks that need to be cleared up before it is completely clear whether Russia will really participate in the Junior World Cup in Canada.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has been clear that no Russian players or leaders will receive visas. However, it should be added that several Russian players who could form a team are already playing in the Canadian junior league.

The question is also whether it is even possible to carry out a JVM considering that the majority of the ten participating countries, including Sweden and Finland, have said that they are not going to play the matches against Russia.