CAS ruling forces Russia back into 2027 ice hockey events

Russian ice hockey players will compete in five international tournaments starting in 2027 after the Court of Arbitration for Sport ordered the International Ice Hockey Federation to lift its ban. The ruling took effect immediately on Friday and covers the 2027 Men’s and Women’s World Championships, the Men’s World Junior Championship, and the U18 Men’s and Women’s World Championships.

The IIHF had barred Russia from all its events, including the Olympics and World Championships, following the country’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. According to the Associated Press, the CAS found that the federation lacked sufficient evidence to support its security concerns, which had previously justified the exclusion.

The decision creates an immediate scheduling conflict for the 2027 Men’s World Championship. Ukraine was the final nation to qualify for that tournament. Allowing Russia to compete may force the IIHF to push Ukraine out of the bracket in favor of the nation currently at war with it.

Host nations face additional diplomatic and security pressures. Germany, which will host the 2027 Men’s World Championship, has voiced specific security concerns. The CAS ruling does not grant authority to force host country governments to allow Russian teams onto their soil, leaving those decisions with local authorities.

National governing bodies have responded with mixed signals. Finland stated it will not restrict its athletes from playing, while Germany, Czechia, and Austria said they need time to decide. The Swedish Ice Hockey Association president, Anders Larsson, told the TT news agency that a boycott is not on the table. Hockey Canada told Sportsnet it is seeking clarity, and USA Hockey had not issued a statement as of Friday.

The ruling does not dictate how Russian teams will appear on the ice. It leaves open whether athletes can wear national symbols, such as flags or play the national anthem. The International Olympic Committee lifted its ban on Russian athletes in July, allowing them to compete in the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Games. That move, combined with the CAS ruling, creates a pathway for Russian hockey players to participate in the 2030 Olympic tournaments, though those events are not directly impacted by the current five-tournament order.

The 2027 Men’s World Junior Championship is scheduled to begin in December in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta. This event will be the first major test of the new arrangement, occurring just months after the ruling takes effect.