The key facts

  • Former CAS arbitrator Konny Jorneklint suggested a possible one-billion-dollar lawsuit against the IIHF
  • On October 30, CAS fully granted the Russian Ice Hockey Federation's appeal and lifted Russia's suspension
  • The IIHF said it would urgently assess steps to implement the decision but expressed dissatisfaction

Former CAS arbitrator on a possible fine

Former Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) judge Konny Jorneklint has suggested that Russia could turn to CAS with a demand to fine the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) a very large sum if it fails to comply with the decision to admit Russian national teams. His words were reported by RIA Novosti..

The essence of the statement

«I can imagine that Russia would go to CAS and demand that the IIHF be fined one billion dollars. This amount is merely an assumption, but it must be so large that no one would dare take such a risk,» Jorneklint said. Thus, this is the personal assessment of a former arbitrator, not an adopted decision: the sum was named by him as hypothetical.

Context: the CAS decision and the federation's reaction

On October 30, the Court of Arbitration for Sport fully granted the appeal of the Russian Ice Hockey Federation and overturned the IIHF decision to suspend the Russian national teams. The federation stated that it would urgently assess the steps and time needed to implement the decision and eliminate its operational consequences, but expressed dissatisfaction with the CAS verdict.

Related events

Earlier, on July 7, the International Olympic Committee temporarily lifted the suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee and recommended that all federations remove restrictions on Russian athletes, declaring the previous recommendations outdated. In addition, former goaltender Dominik Hašek, according to Gazeta.Ru, agreed with CAS's arguments in favor of admitting the Russian hockey national teams.