What’s going on with the Russia IIHF World Juniors controversy?

The decision by the International Ice Hockey Federation to allow Russia back into the World Juniors Hockey Championship next month continued to stir backlash on Monday with Norway saying its team was being bumped to make room for Russia and Sweden vowing not to play against Russia.

In a statement to Global News on Monday, a spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s Office reiterated Ottawa’s stance saying, “athletes from Russia and Belarus will not be able to compete for their countries in Canada so long as the unjustified war against Ukraine continues. That position has not changed.”

It is not yet clear whether Russian and Belarussian players will be allowed to compete for a neutral team rather than for their national teams.

The first puck drops on Dec. 26., with the tournament taking place in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alta.

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“For better or for worse, athletes that are participating and representing their country do get involved, whether they like it or not, in the political implications of international sports,” says Simon Darnell professor of kinesiology and Sport for Development & Peace at the University of Toronto.

“Allowing the Russians to play at the World Juniors, unfortunately, would be a tacit acceptance of the war in Ukraine, and I don’t think that’s what the international sports community should be doing.”

Here’s what to know about how this came to be and everything we know so far.

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Russia has been waging an ongoing unprovoked war on Ukraine since early 2022, and various international sports groups banned Russia from participating in response, including the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), which conducts the World Juniors Hockey Championship.

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The IIHF ban on Russia’s participation was squashed last month after the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled on Oct. 30 that the federation must allow Russia to compete in its sanctioned events, including the upcoming tournament.

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Norway’s hockey federation said Sunday the IIHF had informed it that Russia would be added to the men’s under-20 tournament in Edmonton and Red Deer next month at Norway’s expense.

The IIHF has not formally announced the change, and its website still lists Norway among the 10 teams in the tournament.

Global News sent a request for comment to the IIHF on Monday asking if Russia has been added to the upcoming tournament and replaced Norway. A response was not received as of publication.

Shortly after the court ruling last month, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced a ban on Russian athletes, in addition to those from Belarus, from participating in the tournament while in Canada because of the war with Ukraine.

“This is a decision we take on our own, which is we will deny, while Russia and Belarus are supporting this illegal unjustified horrific war in Ukraine — as long as that’s going on, there will be none of those athletes competing for their countries in Canada,” Carney said last week.

That decision by Carney was also supported publicly by Wayne Gretzky.

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Ukrainian Canadian leaders say the court ruling allowing Russia to participate was “unjustified, ridiculous and egregious.”

“The court decision to allow Russia back into international hockey is a disgrace and has brought shame onto that court,” says Orest Zakydalsky, senior policy advisor with the Ukrainian Canadian Congress.

“Norway and the Norwegian people have been strong supporters of Ukraine and continue to be. We are immensely grateful for all that they have done for Ukraine and I think that the Hockey Federation should take a look at the logic of this ruling and reverse it.”

Norway acknowledged that the IIHF has been handcuffed by the court’s ruling. As the 10th-ranked team entering the tournament, Norway said it was relegated to the 1A Division to open the spot for Russia.

“The situation is still unclear,” Norway’s ice hockey secretary general Peter Salsten said in a statement posted on the association’s website and translated from Norwegian to English. “This makes us hope that the last word has not been said about our participation in Canada.”

“We are aware of the status and the measures the IIHF feels compelled to take, and will await further information from the IIHF in the coming days,” Salsten said. “This also clearly shows all the practical challenges and immediate consequences for everyone involved when countries are reinstated immediately.”

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The Russians haven’t competed in the tournament since a fourth-place finish in 2021, with their ban beginning after the nation invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

“I suspect that Norway’s probably trying to figure out how they’re going to deal with this situation and they know that they have allies,” says Darnell.

“It reminds us that sports and politics are always connected, and I think we can all agree that this is much more about politics than it is about sports at this point.”

Since the announcement from the Norwegian Hockey Association, the Swedish Ice Hockey Association says it will refuse to play Russia if the teams meet at the world juniors and stood in solidarity with Team Norway.

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Adam van Koeverden, Secretary of State for Sport of Canada, spoke Monday and reaffirmed Ottawa’s stance on Russia’s involvement in the tournament, although few specifics were given regarding any exceptions.

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“The prime minister was as clear as day last week. Russia will not be competing at the World Juniors in Alberta,” said van Koeverden to reporters when asked about Norway reportedly being bumped to allow Russia to participate.

He also suggested that Russian players could, in theory, participate in the tournament provided that they don’t represent Russia by wearing a neutral jersey.

“If they’re not competing with a neutral status as an AIN, that’s, en français, Athlètes Individuels Neutres, then they would not be permitted to compete, and that AIN designation has not been tested in a team format,” said van Koeverden.

“Working with Hockey Canada, working with the IIHF, with respect to Norway’s inclusion in this tournament. I spoke with the Minister of Sport from Norway last week and had a great conversation. We’re very, very aligned and we hope to see Norwegian athletes competing in Alberta December and January.”

When asked to clarify if he meant that Russian players could participate provided they wear a neutral jersey on the ice, van Koeverden said,  “I want to be just as clear as the prime minister was last week. The Russians will not be represented at the World Juniors in Alberta.”

– with files from The Canadian Press