The Canadian government has officially notified the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) that it will not issue visas to Russian athletes and delegation members for the U-20 World Junior Championship. The decision was made following a ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which had previously reinstated Russia’s rights in international competitions. According to Canadian authorities, the restriction applies to all representatives of the Russian national team, including players who already hold valid Canadian visas. Thus, even participating under a neutral flag, which the IIHF had hoped for, has become impossible for Russians.
"Sports will not be used for propaganda"
Canadian Secretary of State for Sport Adam van Koeverden emphasized in an official statement that Ottawa’s position is final and leaves no room for exceptions. "Prime Minister Mark Carney previously made it clear: sports will not be used for propaganda on Canadian soil. As for speculations about possible exceptions or concessions, the government’s position is absolutely unambiguous. As long as Russia continues its aggressive war against Ukraine, a return to the status quo is impossible," stated van Koeverden. The statement was addressed to both the IIHF leadership and Hockey Canada, which is a co-organizer of the tournament.
A wave of boycotts: six European federations have already refused
The Canadian authorities’ decision was a direct response to the IIHF’s intention to return the Russian national team to the Junior World Championship, replacing Norway in the tournament calendar. However, even before Ottawa’s official notification, six national European federations — Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Latvia, Czechia, and Finland — publicly announced their intention to boycott any matches against the Russian team. Thus, the IIHF found itself in a situation where even formally admitting Russia to the tournament does not guarantee its actual participation in the games, and Canada’s refusal deprives the federation of the ability to host the championship in its full capacity on its territory.
Suspension since 2022 and the federation’s impasse
The Russian and Belarusian national teams were completely suspended from international ice hockey tournaments following the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Over the four years of suspension, the IIHF and national federations have built a competition format without the participation of the two leading hockey powers. The CAS verdict, which restored Russia’s rights, left the federation with a dilemma: formally admit the Russian team and face mass boycotts and the host country's refusal, or ignore the arbitration decision and risk further sanctions. Canada chose the first scenario and closed this limited path for Russians as well.
Junior World Championship 2026/27: dates and venues
The World Championship for hockey players under 20 will take place from December 26, 2026, to January 5, 2027, in the Canadian cities of Edmonton and Red Deer. With less than six weeks remaining until the start of the tournament, the IIHF must quickly determine the final list of participants and the competition format. Previously, the head coach of the Ukrainian national hockey team publicly expressed concern about the potential consequences for the Ukrainian team should the calendar be restructured. At the moment, neither the IIHF nor the Canadian organizers have presented an updated tournament regulation that takes into account Ottawa’s position and the European federations’ boycott statements.
