CAS reinstates Russian ice hockey teams; Ukraine's foreign minister calls ruling 'unacceptable'

The Court of Arbitration for Sport has overturned the International Ice Hockey Federation's suspension of Russian national teams, reinstating them for the 2026–27 competitive season, including both the men's and women's World Championships.

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha condemned the Lausanne-based tribunal's ruling on Sunday, writing that it legitimises Russia's participation while Moscow continues missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian civilian infrastructure. Sybiha called on allied governments that "have not lost their moral compass" to enact national entry bans on Russian athletes.

The IIHF expressed profound disappointment with the verdict, reaffirming that its original suspension — imposed after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 — was designed to guarantee athlete security and protect tournament integrity.

The ruling creates immediate complications for the 2027 IIHF Men's World Championship, scheduled to be held in Germany. Ukraine's national team has also qualified for the tournament, raising security and boycott concerns among European organisers.

Under previous guidelines revised in 2023, Russian and Belarusian competitors had been restricted to competing as Individual Neutral Athletes, without national flags or anthems, while team events remained closed to both countries. The CAS ruling dismantles those restrictions for the coming season.

Separately, the International Weightlifting Federation recently selected Moscow to host its 2030 World Championships — the first time a governing body of an Olympic sport has awarded Russia a flagship event since the full-scale invasion began.