“We’ve been rejected again,” says Putin’s empire. International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) several times already extended sanctions against Russia and Belarus. It is still true that national and club teams there are not allowed to participate in international competitions. Given that the war in Ukraine is still going on, this is not a big surprise.
And this despite the fact that the IIHF cloaks its decision in rather vague words about safety. “The current security conditions do not allow the fulfillment of the necessary requirements for the organization of tournaments, which would guarantee the safety of all participants,” the federation said. In any case, this means that the choir will also meet at the World Championships in 2027 in Germany (they last played in 2021 in Riga and finished fifth).
Reaction from Russia? The major news sites approach the extension of the “curse” quite matter-of-factly and without surprise. It is true that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) called for the return of Russian teams to the scene some time ago, but specific measures are the responsibility of the individual federations. And the hockey team under the leadership of Luc Tardiff does not change its attitude.
The Russian Hockey Federation issued a protest statement and Roman Rotenberg, an influential and at the same time very controversial figure in local hockeypromised to fight at the CAS Sports Arbitration. “Without Russia, there is no international hockey. And there never will be,” declared the son of a powerful oligarch and Putin ally Boris Rotenberg for the Matč TV station.
There is no doubt that from a sporting point of view the absence represents a collective weakening, but key players in the IIHF leadership point out that it is not – and cannot be – just about sport. According to the Russian media, the main opponents of the return of Ovechkin and co. on the international stage the Nordics – and also the Czechs.
“A source familiar with the management of international hockey said that it is highly unlikely that Finland, Sweden or the Czech Republic would agree to participate in any tournament with the participation of the Russian team while the special operation is underway,” reads a comprehensive commentary on the Championat website. (“Special operation” is the official Russian term for a bloody invasion of a foreign state.)
The text also quotes Dominik Hašek, one of the most passionate campaigners against Russia’s involvement in competitions as long as innocent people die in Ukraine: “Each citizen or group of citizens represents his country and is always an advertisement for his country’s actions. In the case of Russian citizens, it is an advertisement for war.”
The NHL will defend its own interests
The Russians, however, see a light at the end of the tunnel they entered. Maybe even two lights. On the one hand, there is more and more speculation that access to the championships should be allowed at least for youth teams. This is exactly what the IOC called for. “Youth means anyone under the age of eighteen,” Tardiff pointed out.
In theory, the 18 World Championship, which will be held in Slovakia this spring, could already be considered. However, the head of the IIHF made it clear that it will definitely not happen that quickly. “It has to be clear how the process of relegation and promotion will take place, it takes time. It’s not easy to bring in Russia and Belarus all at once,” Tardiff said, adding that it could take up to two years.
The second source of hope for the Russian national sport is the NHL. The overseas league is renowned for taking a pragmatic and business-like approach to issues. That is also why 65 Russians are playing in the current NHL season, including superstars Nikita Kucherov, Kirill Kaprizov, Artemiy Panarin, Alexander Ovechkin and many others. The league would be less attractive without them, no doubt about that.
Russia is at the same time for the USA and above all a traditional rival for Canada on the ice rink. In 2028, the next edition of the irregular World Cup is to be held, which is an event organized exclusively by the NHL. It seems quite likely that the organizers will want to have the choir in its strongest composition on stage.
“The weakness of the IIHF is to appeal to the discontent of the Finns or the Czechs. But when it comes to the World Cup, Tardiff (or his successor) will be deprived of any influence. The NHL leadership will defend its own interests: the tournament would not be complete without the Russians,” wrote the Sport Express website. The question is whether other countries (Sweden, Finland, but also the Czech Republic) would not refuse to participate in such a case.
