Canada bars Russia from Junior World Championships
Summary
Canada will deny visas to Russian athletes, preventing Russia’s under-20 team from competing in the 2026–27 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. The IIHF will keep Canada as host, with games scheduled in Edmonton and Red Deer from December 26, 2026, to January 5, 2027. Russia’s ice hockey federation plans to appeal the exclusion to the International Olympic Committee.Key Facts
- Canada said it would deny entry to Russian athletes because of the war in Ukraine.
- The IIHF said Russia’s under-20 team cannot participate in the tournament.
- The tournament is scheduled for December 26, 2026, to January 5, 2027, in Edmonton and Red Deer.
- The Russian Ice Hockey Federation called the exclusion unlawful and said it would appeal to the International Olympic Committee.
- Russia had been suspended from IIHF events since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
- The Court of Arbitration for Sport overturned the IIHF ban last month, finding that the federation’s safety and security arguments lacked sufficient evidence.
- Six European ice hockey federations said they would refuse to play against Russia if it was allowed to compete.
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