Sports Arbitration Court Orders Russia Back Into Ice Hockey Championships

The Court of Arbitration for Sport ordered the International Ice Hockey Federation to allow Russian teams to compete in its world championships, reversing a ban that has been in effect since 2022. The ruling issued on Friday specifically overturned IIHF decisions that excluded Russia from the 2026-27 season, which includes the men's and women's world championships. CAS cited a lack of sufficient evidence to support the IIHF's previous security concerns regarding the return of the nation.

The IIHF expressed disappointment with the outcome. The governing body stated that it maintains its original decisions were necessary to protect the safety and security of all participants and safeguard the integrity of its competitions. While the IIHF said it will act in accordance with the CAS ruling, it noted that the outcome does not remove the concerns that informed its initial assessments.

Russian Sports Minister Mikhail Degtyaryov reacted to the decision on the Telegram social media app. He wrote that CAS recognized the demands of the Russian Hockey Federation on key points as justified. The ruling did not address whether Russia must play as a team of neutral athletes without national symbols, a format used in some other Olympic sports. CAS also left other organizational consequences for the IIHF to determine.

The IIHF has barred Russian teams from its world championships since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Russia also missed the Olympic hockey tournaments earlier this year. The new ruling creates an immediate challenge for IIHF President Franz Reindl. His home country of Germany is scheduled to host the men's world championship next year.