Russian hockey players wont be granted visas for World Juniors in Alberta: Carney

Prime Minister Mark Carney has announced Russian hockey players will not be granted visas for the 2027 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships in Red Deer and Edmonton. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled in late October that the Russian Ice Hockey Federation will be allowed to enter a Russian team in all IIHF Championships “with immediate effect.” “The IIHF disagrees with this aspect of the ruling and maintains that its decisions were necessary to protect the safety and security of all participants and safeguard the integrity of its competitions,” the IIHF stated in a media release on Oct. 30. “While the IIHF respects the authority of CAS and will act in accordance with its ruling, the outcome does not remove the concerns that informed its assessments. “The IIHF will urgently assess the steps and time required to give effect to the ruling and address its operational consequences. The safety of all participants and the integrity of each championship will remain central to this work.” Multiple countries, including Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Czechia and Latvia, quickly announced boycotts or refusals to play against Russian ice hockey teams following the ruling. Prime Minister Mark Carney said a Russian team will not be allowed to compete at the World Juniors in Red Der and Edmonton. The tournament begins Dec. 26. “Russia and (Belarus) are supporting this illegal and unjustified horrific war in Ukraine. As long as that’s going, none of those athletes (will be) competing for their countries in Canada,” said Carney. Hockey Canada issued the following statement on Nov. 3: “Hockey Canada thanks the Government of Canada for today’s strong position that Canada intends to prevent Russian and Belarusian officials and athletes from participating under their national symbols in international sporting events taking place on Canadian soil. We will be meeting with our board of directors this week to discuss next steps given the government’s clear position.” The IIHF stated it is “aware of the recent statements made from key stakeholders” and is analyzing the scenarios around CAS ruling. “As presented to the CAS, the immediate reintegration of Russian teams presents significant practical and sporting challenges, including visa and entry requirements, security provisions, logistical constraints and consequences for competition formats, all compounded by the limited time available, with some events only weeks away,” stated the IIHF. “The global impact of the decision made by the CAS Panel and the challenges it creates for all involved were significantly underestimated. The IIHF council remains in dialogue with Member National Associations, organizing committees, host authorities and other key stakeholders to determine the best way forward. The foremost priorities remain the safety and security of all participants, teams, officials and fans, the smooth operation of the Championships and the integrity of the competitions.”