On Nov. 3, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced that Canada would prevent Russia’s participation in the upcoming World Junior Hockey Championship in Alberta, a decision made despite a ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
“So if you’re asking specifically about the world juniors, the Russians will not be there,” Carney stated during a press conference in Antigua, as reported by Reuters.
The announcement follows an Oct. 30 ruling by the CAS that overturned Russia’s exclusion from international hockey. The International Ice Hockey Federation said it was disappointed by the ruling but would work to implement it.
The Canadian government will use its authority under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act to prevent Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials from entering Canada to compete under their national symbols. The CAS ruling does not supersede Canada’s immigration laws, allowing the government to enforce this ban.
Athletes competing as neutrals may still be admitted on an individual basis. However, this has sparked debate, as some athletes cleared to compete as neutrals have been found to support Russia’s war against Ukraine.
A 2024 investigation by the human rights organization Global Rights Compliance revealed that several athletes cleared to compete as neutrals at the Paris Olympics had violated eligibility rules by publicly supporting the invasion or having ties to Russian and Belarusian military organizations.
The measure will remain in place as long as Russia, supported by Belarus, continues its war against Ukraine. Global Affairs Canada stated, “Canada’s position has not changed because Russia’s actions have not changed: as long as Russia continues its war of aggression against Ukraine with Belarus’s complicity, neither Russia nor Belarus should be formally represented in international sport.”
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha had urged governments to deny Russian athletes entry following the decision. Several European hockey federations have also announced they will refuse to compete against Russia. The World Junior Hockey Championship is scheduled to take place in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta, from Dec. 26, 2026, to Jan. 5, 2027.
Leave a Reply