The key facts
- The IIHF included the Russian team in the 2027 World Junior Championship schedule in place of Norway following the CAS ruling of October 30
- Sybiha called the decision a disgrace, suspected Moscow's influence, and called for a boycott and an end to IIHF funding
- Russia's participation is in question: Canada does not intend to issue visas, and Switzerland has refused to play against the Russians
Kyiv's reaction to the IIHF decision
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha sharply criticized the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) for including the Russian national team in the updated schedule of the 2027 World Junior Championship, where the Russians took Norway's place. The Ukrainian minister called what happened a disgrace and demanded that the decision be reversed, reports Life.ru.
The Ukrainian minister's complaints and demands
According to Sybiha, the return of Russian athletes to international competitions 'contributes to justifying Moscow's actions.' He also stated: 'Such a decision raises serious suspicions about possible Moscow influence on its adoption' — however, he provided no evidence for this assumption. The minister called on other countries to boycott Russia's participation in the tournament and demanded an end to international funding of the IIHF.
What preceded the decision and what remains uncertain
The reason for revising the schedule was a ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on October 30 that lifted restrictions on the participation of Russian national teams in international tournaments, after which the IIHF began reviewing the list of participants. Earlier, Life.ru reported that the federation confirmed the inclusion of the Russian team in the schedule of the tournament: the Russians' first opponent is to be Switzerland, whose hockey federation has already announced it will refuse to take the ice against the Russian team.
Russia's participation remains in question
The Russian team's final participation in the championship remains uncertain. The Canadian authorities, where the tournament will be held, have stated their intention not to issue visas to Russian hockey players, and the IIHF itself has pointed to the need to resolve organizational issues. Thus, inclusion in the schedule does not yet mean the team will actually take the ice: Canada's position on visas and Switzerland's refusal to play remain the key obstacles, as sources report.
