Russia’s return complicates Alberta world juniors

A ruling ordering the International Ice Hockey Federation to reinstate Russia has raised questions about the upcoming world junior men’s hockey championship in Alberta and angered some participating countries.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled Friday that Russia must be allowed back into international hockey. That overturned a ban imposed following its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Hockey Canada wants clarity on Russia’s potential return to the under-20 men’s tournament, which begins in less than two months in Edmonton and Red Deer.

A Hockey Canada spokesperson said Friday morning the implications of the ruling weren’t immediately clear, and that the organization was in contact with the IIHF to learn more.

But the IIHF said in a statement Friday the ruling will affect five international tournaments in 2027, including the world junior men’s championship that begins Dec. 26, 2026, in Alberta, and also the 2027 women’s world championship in Quebec City.

Russia indicated it is planning to play in Alberta.

In a statement posted to its official English-language X account, Russia’s hockey federation said it faces “the challenging task of working together with the IIHF to implement the CAS ruling and facilitate the return of Russian teams to competitions held under the auspices of the IIHF.

“The next major tournament is the 2027 IIHF World Junior Championship, which will take place in Edmonton and Red Deer, Canada.”

But Russia’s possible return raises more questions about how the 10-country junior men’s tournament in Alberta could logistically accommodate an additional country on short notice, with schedules and other arrangements already in place.

“The ruling also has significant practical implications for competitions already at an advanced stage of preparation,” the IIHF said in its statement.

“Changes to participation require extensive coordination with the relevant Member National Associations, organizing committees and host authorities, including a review of competition formats, schedules, travel and accommodation arrangements, and safety and security measures.

“These decisions made by CAS do not consider the practical elements which cannot be implemented immediately.”

The IIHF banned both Russia and Belarus from international tournaments on Feb. 28, 2022, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Belarusian support of it.

Some countries participating in Alberta’s world junior tournament expressed dismay at the CAS ruling and Russia’s impending return.

“The Ice Hockey Association strongly condemns Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine; in our view, there are no grounds for the participation of Russia or Belarus in international ice hockey activities under the current circumstances,” Finnish Ice Hockey Federation chair Heikki Hietanen wrote in a statement.

“The role of the Ice Hockey Association is to facilitate the participation of national teams in international competitions. However, no player or team official is under any obligation to take part in a tournament in which Russia or Belarus is involved. We understand and support those who do not wish to participate in such competitions.”

Sweden is the defending champion of the world junior tournament.

“We maintain that, under the current circumstances, Russia cannot participate in international championships,” Swedish Ice Hockey President Anders Larsson said in a statement.

German federation board chair Frank H. Lutz wrote on the organization’s website, “We reject the return of Russian national teams to international ice hockey tournaments.”

Germany is the host of the 2027 men’s world championship, and Ukraine is a participating country.

“Allowing Russia to participate would have significant security, political, and economic consequences for us as hosts,” Lutz said.

Canada’s military and humanitarian support for Ukraine makes hosting a Russian hockey team awkward.

Secretary of Sport Adam van Koeverden said in July he was appalled by the International Olympic Committee loosening its suspension of Russian athletes in time for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

“The countries of Russia and Belarus should not be represented in international sports competitions while Russia’s illegal and unjustifiable full-scale invasion against Ukraine continues,” van Koeverden wrote in a statement in July.

Alberta is home to over 400,000 Ukrainians or people of Ukrainian descent, according to Lydia Migus, who is the Alberta chapter president of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress.

She woke up to the news Friday morning that a Russian hockey team could be competing in the province in a matter of weeks.

“It’s basically a slap in the face for humanity,” Migus said. “We all know that Russia is using both culture and sports as a propaganda tool to normalize this war.

“If Canada allows these players to attend, it’s just countering what they did by opening their doors for those who are fleeing the war in the first place for security and peace.”

Roughly 65,000 to 70,000 Ukrainians have arrived in Alberta since the war began almost five years ago, she said.

“There’s Ukrainians dying daily by the Russian attacks in towns and cities right across Ukraine,” Migus said. “Pretend that everything’s normal while we play a hockey game here? And the Russians that are here that have come to play is normal in any way, shape or form? It’s mind-boggling and preposterous.”