Mark Carney Bars Russia from World Junior Hockey Championship in Alberta
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Tuesday that Russian athletes will not be permitted to compete in the upcoming IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship, citing the ongoing war in Ukraine.
The tournament is scheduled to run from Dec. 26, 2026, through Jan. 5, 2027, across two host cities in Alberta: Edmonton and Red Deer. The annual holiday showcase brings together the top under-20 national teams from around the globe. Last year, Sweden captured the gold medal, while Canada secured bronze.
Political Directives Override Sports Arbitration Ruling
Tuesday’s announcement upends a sports arbitration decision handed down on Oct. 30, when a major sports tribunal ruled that Russia was eligible to return to international hockey competition. That ruling immediately triggered friction across the hockey world. Several European hockey teams, notably Sweden and Finland, stated publicly that they would refuse to take the ice against Russian squads.
Because Canada serves as the host nation for the upcoming tournament, the issue rose to federal leadership. Stepping into the dispute on Tuesday, Carney made the federal government’s position unequivocal during a briefing with journalists.
Tant que la Russie et la Biélorussie appuieront cette guerre illégale, injustifiée et horrible en Ukraine, aucun de leurs athlètes ne représentera son pays au Canada,
Carney told reporters.
Carney Bans Russia Despite Tribunal Ruling
The International Ice Hockey Federation originally barred Russian and Belarusian athletes from all its competitions in 2022 following the launch of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. While the subsequent sports tribunal ruling in late October found that Russia had the right to participate in international hockey competitions, Carney announced on Tuesday that Russia would not be permitted to take part in the championship.
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