In brief
Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney declared that Russian and Belarusian players will be barred from the world junior ice hockey championships in Alberta due to the war in Ukraine, rejecting a Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling. Several European federations have pledged to refuse to play Russia in future competitions.
On Tuesday, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney told reporters that Russia and Belarus will not be able to send skaters to the world junior ice hockey championships that will take place in Alberta from late‑December to early‑January.
Carney said Canada will not issue visas to athletes from the two countries, a move that contravenes a decision by the Court of Arbitration for Sport that had allowed Russian teams to compete in international hockey events.
Prime Minister Mark Carney said:
"If you’re asking specifically about the world juniors, the Russians will not be there."
He added that the ban follows Canada’s support for Ukraine in the ongoing war and that "while Russia and Belarus are supporting this illegal, unjustified, horrific war in Ukraine, as long as that’s going on, there will be none of those athletes competing for their countries in Canada."
Carney’s announcement came after the CAS ruling on October 30 that told the International Ice Hockey Federation to lift the ban on Russian national teams. Canada rejected the ruling, saying the international court had no authority in matters of war and security.
European hockey federations are also stepping in. Norway, Denmark, Sweden and the Czech Republic said they would refuse to play Russian teams at the 2024 men’s World Championship in Germany, adding that Finland has formed a bloc of countries that will boycott matches against Russia.
The decision marks a sharp shift in how Canada is handling sports diplomacy amid the conflict in Ukraine, and it may affect the composition and competitive balance of the world junior tournament.
