CAS allows Russia to compete in international ice hockey
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has cleared the way for Russian teams to participate in ice hockey championships again. The court upheld an appeal by the Russian Ice Hockey Federation and overturned the decision by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) to bar Russian teams, with immediate effect. What does this mean for the players, and for the World Championship due to take place in Germany in 2027?
Sport and war do not go hand in hand
The ruling undermines the spirit of sport, Novinky.cz protests:
“Allowing a Russian team to participate in the championship gives the impression that it is acceptable to wage a war which Russia hypocritically refers to as a 'special military operation'. For even Moscow refuses to admit that it is waging a war of aggression. Sport does not exist in some ivory tower, far removed from the real world. Athletes don't live outside reality, as Ukrainian athletes know all too well. Russian bombs, drones and missiles kill them just like everyone else, and destroy their sports grounds. If Ukrainian athletes are paying the ultimate price for Russia's aggression, why should we make concessions to Moscow?”
Politics has the final say
It won't happen quite that fast, writes ice hockey expert Klaus Zaugg in Watson:
“In theory, the Russians should now be allowed to take part in the 2027 IIHF World Championship in Germany (13 to 30 May). But they won't be there in 2027. For several reasons. ... First, it's politics, not sport, that has the final say. ... Second, participation in the World Championship is only possible if the host country – in this case, Germany – issues entry visas for the players and support staff. ... There will be considerable political resistance in Germany to issuing these visas. No other European country is as strongly committed to Ukraine as Germany. ... Are the tickets already purchased for Ukraine's matches now supposed to be valid for Russia's matches? Absurd.”