The Swiss Ice Hockey Federation (SHF) has officially determined its position regarding the return of Russian teams to international competitions. Following internal consultations, the federation's Board of Directors made a categorical decision: the Swiss national under-20 ice hockey team will not take to the ice against representatives of Russia at the 2027 World Championship. This is reported by Sport RBC.UA citing the organization's press service. The decision was made against the backdrop of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and current circumstances which, according to the federation, make head-to-head meetings with the aggressor country's team unacceptable.
Context: CAS Verdict and IIHF's First Steps
The Swiss Ice Hockey Federation emphasized that the decision was not spontaneous. After studying the International Ice Hockey Federation's (IIHF) initial steps to implement the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) verdict, the organization conducted a comprehensive re-analysis of the situation. The union's governing bodies and key stakeholders of Swiss hockey were involved in the discussions. It was based on the results of these consultations that the Board of Directors issued a final decision to refuse any matches against Russians, solidifying the federation's position at both the leadership and stakeholder levels.
Boycott of Matches, Not the Tournament Itself
Importantly, the federation separated two issues: refusing head-to-head meetings with Russia does not mean refusing to participate in the competition as a whole. The Swiss U-20 team plans to fully participate in the tournament in Edmonton, with restrictions applying exclusively to matches against the aggressor state's team. The organization's official statement reads: "Given the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and current circumstances, the Swiss national U-20 team will not play against the Russian national U-20 team at the upcoming World Championship. This decision must categorically not be equated with a refusal to participate in the 2027 IIHF World Junior Championship."
Canada's Position and a Chain Reaction of Federations
The 2027 World Junior Hockey Championship will be held from December 26, 2026, to January 5, 2027, in Edmonton, Canada. Despite the fact that CAS ordered the IIHF to restore the right of Russians to compete on the international stage, the host country took a hardline stance: Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney explicitly stated that his state will not allow Russian athletes entry to participate in the tournament. The officials' attempt to return representatives of the Russian Federation to world hockey triggered a chain reaction — Switzerland became one of several countries whose hockey federations publicly announced their intention to boycott any matches against the Russian team at international tournaments. Earlier, NHL legend Wayne Gretzky supported Canada's tough stance regarding Russia.
Significance of the Decision for International Hockey
Switzerland's decision increases pressure on the IIHF and demonstrates that the CAS verdict does not guarantee the automatic return of Russian teams to the international arena. Even with the formal restoration of the right to compete, the actual holding of matches involving Russia faces refusals from a number of national federations and, in the case of Edmonton, immigration restrictions from the host country. Thus, the Swiss boycott becomes part of a broader coalition that effectively questions the possibility of full participation by Russians in upcoming major tournaments.
