Russia and Belarus not allowed to compete in international hockey until war in Ukraine is over

Russia and Belarus will not be allowed to participate in tournaments of the International Ice Hockey Federation while the war in Ukraine continues, the organisation's president Luke Tardif said on Sunday.

Source: Tardif, quoted by ESPN

Quote from Tardif: "I hope Russia and Belarus will come back as soon as possible, because it will mean the war is over.

It's a question of security for fans, our teams. Anyway, no visa, cannot travel.

And nobody knows how long it's going to take.

I understand that sometimes there is a political approach. As a human being, I've got my own understanding of the situation. But with my IIHF cap, I have to take the decision following our executive and to protect our competition."

Details: Currently, the aggressor countries are facing a ban on participating in competitions until the end of 2024. In March next year, they will decide to extend the ban participation until the end of 2025.

The International Olympic Committee is leaning towards Russian and Belarusian athletes competing at the Summer Games in Paris next year.

Tardif said the IIHF does not follow IOC advice because hockey is a team sport.

For reference: Russian men's and women's hockey players last competed under the flag of the Russian Olympic Committee at the 2022 Beijing Games, which ended shortly before Russia launched its full-scale war.

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