The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne has ruled in favor of Russia, obliging the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) to admit Russian national teams to international tournaments. According to reports, the verdict concerns five World Championships in 2027. Against this backdrop, the Ice Hockey Federation of Ukraine (FHU) has publicly outlined its position: organization president Sergiy Mazur called the decision "categorically" disappointing and promised to initiate a meeting with the IIHF leadership to clarify all circumstances. This is reported by Sport RBC.UA citing Mazur's commentary to Suspilne Sport.
'Undermines all achievements of Ukrainian hockey'
The Ukrainian federation emphasized that currently only the operative part of the CAS decision has been published, so a detailed legal assessment is possible only after receiving the full text. "We are categorically disappointed with the Arbitration Court's decision, as we consider it not only unjust, but also one that undermines all achievements of Ukrainian hockey to date. We are already initiating a meeting with the IIHF leadership to clarify all circumstances," Mazur stated. According to him, once the exact wording of the decision is clarified in the shortest possible time, the FHU will be able to form a more official position.
Four days instead of six months
The FHU paid special attention to the anomalously high speed of the verdict: according to the Ukrainian side, CAS considered the case in just four days. "We already had experience working with CAS, and usually it takes two, three, five, or six months. In my practice, there has never been a single CAS decision made in four days," noted the head of Ukrainian hockey. It is this aspect, according to him, that raises many questions that will need to be resolved during negotiations with the IIHF early next week.
Coalition of 35 federations and drafting a note
In parallel with negotiations with the IIHF, Ukraine is forming an international coalition and communicating with approximately 35 national federations. "Such decisions are a matter not only of arbitration, as they directly affect international hockey activities. We are working on creating a note and will act in all directions," Mazur explained. Thus, Kyiv's reaction goes beyond a bilateral dialogue with IIHF and involves coordinated actions by a wide range of national associations.
Boycott of the 2027 World Championship not discussed yet
The issue of a potential boycott of the 2027 World Championship, to which the Ukrainian national team returned to the elite division for the first time in 20 years, is not being raised at the moment. "It is too early to talk about possible scenarios — let's wait for the official decision. Many questions arise: how exactly will Russians be admitted (if they are), in which age categories, in what status, and from what year? For now, these legal aspects are unknown to us," Mazur stated. Earlier it was also reported that Russia received the opportunity to host the World Championship in Moscow.
Finland joins the protest
The Finnish Ice Hockey Association also took a critical stance regarding the CAS verdict. On October 30, a statement appeared on the organization's official website calling the return of Russia and Belarus to international hockey impossible while the war against Ukraine continues. Association President Heikki Hietanen emphasized that "no one can force representatives of other countries to play with Russian teams" and stated that "no player or official is obliged to participate in competitions featuring Russia or Belarus." According to him, everything now depends on the IIHF, while the Finnish side "understands and supports those who do not wish to participate in such tournaments."
