Seven national federations say they will not take the ice against Russia. Skoda, a sponsor for more than three decades, says it will reassess. Canada is barring the Russians from the World Junior Championship on home ice in December. And on Thursday, the court that caused the crisis effectively told the IIHF it had nobody to blame but itself.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport issued a rare public defence of its 30 October ruling that obliged the International Ice Hockey Federation to readmit Russian national teams, saying the decision was based strictly on the legal arguments and evidence put before it. The three-person panel found that the IIHF’s arguments on safety, security and sporting integrity were not supported by sufficient evidence.
The ban has been in place since 2022, when Russian and Belarusian teams were suspended after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The IIHF Council has extended that exclusion every year since. Last week’s ruling tore it up across every tournament the federation runs, from the men’s and women’s world championships to the world juniors and the under-18 events.
IIHF stands by its opposition
The IIHF, now led by German president Franz Reindl, has already reiterated its opposition to Russia’s immediate return. In a statement released on 4 November, the federation said it maintained its disagreement with the CAS decision.
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“As presented to the CAS, the immediate reintegration of Russian teams presents significant practical and sporting challenges, including visa and entry requirements, security provisions, logistical constraints and consequences for competition formats,” the federation said.
That is the case CAS has now ruled was not strong enough. The court said the IIHF had not made out its concerns, and noted its ruling did not address questions such as whether Russia should play as a team of neutral athletes without national symbols. Those “organisational consequences,” CAS said, fall to the federation.
Seven federations out, sponsors wavering
The boycott list is now almost half the field of next May’s men’s World Championship in Germany. Finland, Sweden, the Czech Republic, Norway, Denmark, Latvia and Austria have each said their teams will not play against Russia, according to reporting on the sponsor dispute. Austrian federation chief executive Alexander Helwig said that “as of now, we would certainly not play against Russia.”
The money is moving the same way. Skoda, a tournament sponsor for more than 30 years, said it would reassess its involvement if Russia takes the ice. Strauss, the German workwear brand, went further.
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“Should Russia’s national team participate in the 2027 World Championship in Germany as a result of the CAS ruling, we will forgo all logo exposure associated with the tournament. We are also considering withdrawing as a sponsor.”
Nokian Tyres has said it would end its backing if Russia plays, and AJ Products has asked for its logo not to be shown.
Canada draws the first hard line
The first host to force the issue is Canada. Prime Minister Mark Carney said on 3 November that Russian players will not be admitted to the World Junior Championship in Edmonton and Red Deer, which begins in December. The Canadian position, repeated by Secretary of State for Sport Adam van Koeverden, is that Russia should not be represented in international sport while the war in Ukraine continues.
The men’s World Championship in Germany begins in May 2027 and is the next senior event on the calendar where the IIHF would need to seat Russia alongside federations that have publicly ruled it out.
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