Russia ban continues at international hockey tournaments

On Jul 30, 2026

Updated July 30, 2026, 7:01 p.m. ET

Russia and Belarus will remain excluded from most major international ice hockey tournaments next season, the sport’s world governing body said on Thursday, citing “ongoing safety, security and sporting integrity concerns”.

The decision means Russia’s teams will not compete in International Ice Hockey Federation events during the 2026-27 season, including the men’s world championships, world junior championships and the men’s and women’s under-18 world championships.

Belarus also remain barred from the world junior championships, although the IIHF had previously announced plansto reintegrate the country in some lower-level competitions, including the men’s and women’s under-18 events and women’s Division IV world championships.

“In line with the event-by-event approach established, the eligibility of Russia at the IIHF Women’s World Championship 2027 will be reviewed separately by the IIHF Council in November 2026, taking into account the circumstances and risk assessment applicable at that time,” the governing body said in a statement.

The Russian Ice Hockey Federation, in a statement on its website, said it would appeal the ruling to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

The federation said it “neither accepts nor understands the IIHF’s shortsighted position, which ignores the recommendations of the International Olympic Committee and goes against the idea of sport, meant to bring people together worldwide.”

Russia and Belarus have been excluded from IIHF competitions since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, with Belarus sanctioned for its support of Russia’s war effort.

The IIHF said in May that it would assess Russia’s participation in the 2026-27 season on an event-by-event basis.

Thursday’s announcement follows a January ruling barring Russia’s teams from international competitions at all levels,which was later annulled after an appeal by the Russian Ice Hockey Federation.

The continued suspension means Russian players, including those competing in the NHL, are still unable to represent their country in IIHF tournaments. Russia was also excluded from this year’s Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics.

The decision contrasts with a recent easing of restrictions by the International Olympic Committee, which provisionallylifted its ban on the Russian Olympic Committee earlier this month, a move seen as a step toward Russia’s gradual return to the Olympic movement ahead of the Los Angeles 2028 Games.

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