International Ice Hockey Federation bars Russia's U20 team from World Junior Championship in Canada

The Russian ice hockey team will not be competing in the 2027 World Junior Championship due to restrictions imposed by the Canadian government.

Source: press service for the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF)

Quote: "Due to the position and restrictions formally communicated by the Canadian Government, the Russian U20 national team is unable to participate in the World Junior Championship.

After carefully assessing the feasibility of alternative arrangements, the IIHF Council has determined that Canada will remain as host and the tournament will proceed from 26 December 2026 to 5 January 2027 in Edmonton and Red Deer.

All participating MNAs have been informed and an updated competition schedule will be posted shortly for both the World Junior Championship and World Championship U20 1A."

Background:

• In late October, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ordered the IIHF to reinstate Russian national teams in international competitions. Following this, a number of countries announced their intention to boycott matches against Russia's national team at the 2027 World Championship.
• It later emerged that the Russian U20 team would be included in the 2027 World Junior Championship in place of Norway, which would be relegated to Division 1A as a result.
• There is also a possibility that the senior Russian team could push Ukraine's national team out of the top division, to which Ukraine has returned for the first time since 2007.
• Russia's return to international hockey is being resisted not only by individual countries, but by sponsors too.
• Czech betting company Tipsport called the CAS decision "scandalous" and said it would not be advertising during any World Championship matches involving Russia.
• Meanwhile, Swedish company AJ Products (AJ Produkter), which has sponsored the Ice Hockey World Championships since 1989, has severed its cooperation with the IIHF over Russia's potential return to the global tournament.

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