Russia’s return from the cold will force sporting rivals to make a choice

On Friday, the Court of Arbitration for Sport said an obvious thing – that there is no sporting reason to bar Russia from the international hockey community.

Russia’s been on the outs since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. This was never a rules-based exclusion. There is no statute that says a country can be turfed from an international sports organization for starting a war. If there was, there wouldn’t be enough participants to make up an international sports organization.

This has always been a vibes-based exclusion. The sort-of good guys ganging up on the very-definitely bad guy.

The International Ice Hockey Federation’s defence of its policy was also vibes based. Russia was barred in order “to protect the safety and security of all participants and safeguard the integrity of its competitions.”

I have no idea what that means. That someone might protest your event? Attack it?

Why would it be up to a court to shield you from the consequences of your business model? If you’re afraid that people will be angry at you for putting on a show, don’t put it on. Otherwise, hire security.

Russia is back in the ice hockey world championships after sports court ruling

Unlike other arbiters in this situation, the CAS applied the rules. There are none, so Russia’s back in, beginning at next year’s world championship in Germany. Presumably, this clears the path for readmittance to the Olympic tournament in 2030.

The court has done hockey – and international sport in general – a favour. It’s given them a chance to put their morals where, until now, only their mouths have been.

Nobody likes what Russia is doing. I believe all famous people who don’t live in the White House are unanimous on that one. But as best I can tell, nobody in sports dislikes it enough that they’re wiling to make any sort of personal sacrifice in order to demonstrate that displeasure. Mostly, what they have are qualms. In many cases, serious qualms.

Others have no qualms. The NHL has been sniffing around Russia for ages now, trying to figure out how to sneak it in to whatever the next iteration of the 4 Nations Face-Off becomes. The CAS just gave it the excuse.

The International Olympic Committee has been slowly reaching out to bring Moscow in for a big, conciliatory hug. It won’t like it! Don’t you dare suggest that it might like it. But it will do it. For sport.

Ironically, the reason to readmit Russia will be the same one deployed to kick it out – the integrity of our games. The quasi-religious qualities of volleyball and luge can be used to justify anything.

But how about this. If you really don’t like it, opt out. No complaining. No grandstanding. Just leave. That would be an act of great integrity. Anyone willing to do that? Anyone? Anyone?

The Olympics should admit everyone, including the most heinous nations. That is the point of the Games – getting enemies together to engage in friendly competition, in the hopes that that might lead to actual friendship.

But that doesn’t mean everyone has to show up. You don’t feel like playing footsie with someone you suspect could be lobbing cruise missiles at you in a few years’ time? Then don’t. No elaborate excuse required. Pretty self explanatory.

It will cost you a little money. Alright, a lot of money. And your people – most of whom don’t read the news, and don’t care – might be angry at you. And yes, you are diminishing your own supply of fun. Because of what? Because someone blew up a train station in a place you can’t find on a map?

Yes, that would be the reason. You blow up people, and I don’t feel like playing hockey with guys wearing your flag on their shoulder. It’s cause and effect.

Russia’s return complicates Alberta world juniors

But no one, Canada included, will do that. Not because we don’t care, but because we don’t care enough.

We care up to the point of making statements. All the involved sporting and governmental parties have statements coming out the yin-yang. In solidarity this and stand together that. But they would also like to go to the big party. They bought a dress and all.

That’s fine. It’d be great if people stood on the principles they spend so much time shouting about, but I’ve been alive long enough to realize that it’s mostly nonsense. Deeply held beliefs don’t require explaining, because they are acted upon. That’s always the tell.

So no one will be boycotting anything. At best, people will try to not to seem excited when they do their Canada vs. Russia vs. U.S. position-by-position matchups. Eventually, the storyline will switch from ‘We must support Ukraine’ to ‘We must beat Russia where it matters – on the ice.’ Meanwhile, the drones will still be flying.

If there’s been any use to this, it will be in proving that while people may be moral, the sports entertainment complex they’ve built isn’t. It doesn’t care who does what to whom.

It cares about audience share and sponsorship dollars. It cares about growing its footprint and synergistic tie-ins. It would do a deal with Pol Pot if it could get him to endorse an official sneaker of Year Zero: ‘When you’re running for your life, comrade . . .’

The hockey corner of that industry needs Russia. Not because it’s good, but because it’s not. It makes such an effective baddie. Imagine the ratings on a Canada-Russia gold-medal hockey final. An all-timer for sure.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport’s decision on Friday didn’t change anything. All it did was return the responsibility of proving what you stand for back on individual nations, federations and athletes. At a guess, it won’t be much.