Russia and Belarus will not be allowed to participate in international hockey competitions until the end of the war in Ukraine

Russia and Belarus will not be allowed to participate in international hockey competitions until the end of the war in Ukraine

Russia and Belarus will not be allowed to participate in the tournaments of the International Ice Hockey Federation while the war in Ukraine continues, the president of the organization Luke Tardif said on Sunday, writes with reference to AP.

Since both countries are already banned from participating in IIHF competitions until 2024, its president Luc Tardif said that a decision on the admission of the two countries in 2025 will be made in March.

“I hope that Russia and Belarus will return as soon as possible, because this will mean that the war is over,” said Tardif at a press conference held on the last day of the World Women’s Ice Hockey Championship, which is held in the suburbs of Toronto.

“This is a question of the safety of fans, of our teams. In any case, it is not possible to travel without a visa. And no one knows how long it will take,” Tardif added.

If the IIHF extends the ban in March, this decision will affect the right of Belarus to participate in the 2026 Olympic Games in Milan and Cortina, since the national teams of this country will not be able to participate in the Olympic qualifying tournaments in 2025. The men’s and women’s national teams of Russia have kept their ratings, but they are not allowed to compete.

The International Olympic Committee is inclined to have Russian and Belarusian athletes participate in the Summer Games in Paris next year. Tardif said that the IIHF does not follow the advice of the IOC, because hockey is a team sport. Another safety concern comes after the IIHF last month cited a risk assessment study it conducted to determine whether it was unsafe to allow Russia and Belarus to compete.

The Russian Ice Hockey Federation dismissed the IIHF’s concerns about security as “an imaginary reason.”

“I understand that sometimes a political approach is necessary,” Tardif said on Sunday. – As a person, I have my own understanding of the situation. But with my IIHF cap, I must make a decision in accordance with our leadership and defend our competitions.”

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