Overview
- Last week the Court of Arbitration for Sport overturned the IIHF’s post‑2022 exclusion and ordered Russian teams reinstated for specified events, starting with the 2027 World Junior Championship.
- The IIHF said it will follow the CAS ruling but disagrees with it and has opened urgent executive meetings to reassess tournament draws, security plans and logistics.
- Finland has led a push to refuse to play Russia and has been coordinating with other federations, and Norway publicly pledged not to play Russia in next year’s men’s world championship.
- Host cities and commercial partners have reacted with immediate consequences: Turku warned it will give up co‑hosting the 2028 World Juniors if Russia plays and AJ Products withdrew its World Championship sponsorship.
- Organizers face practical dilemmas over fixtures, possible forfeits, visa and entry issues, higher security costs and national government consultations that could reshape where and whether upcoming IIHF events go ahead.