Ice hockey-Canada to block Russian players from entering for World Juniors

NEW YORK, Nov 11 : Canada will prevent Russian athletes and officials from entering the country for ice hockey's World Junior Championship in Alberta, the government said on Wednesday, effectively barring their participation weeks before the tournament begins.

In a statement provided to Reuters, Canada's Secretary of State for Sport Adam van Koeverden said the government opposed Russian and Belarusian participation in international sport "as long as Russia continues its war of aggression against Ukraine with Belarus’s complicity."

"The IRCC Minister (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship) will take measures to individually assess and prevent Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials from entering Canada to compete, regardless of whether they already hold valid visas," said Van Koeverden. 

The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) and the Russian Ice Hockey Federation did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Hockey Canada said it had nothing to add to an earlier statement supporting the government's position.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ordered the IIHF late last month to admit Russian teams to five upcoming championships, beginning with the World Junior Championship.

The IIHF, which has barred Russia from most international competition since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, said it disagreed with the CAS decision.

Belarus's team will not participate in the championship following a separate decision by the IIHF.

Prime Minister Mark Carney had previously said Canada would not permit Russian athletes to compete for their country on Canadian soil, a statement some perceived as keeping the door open for their participation as neutrals.

Van Koeverden said Canada allowed neutral participation only by individual athletes, ruling out that option for the Russian team.

"Canada’s position is unequivocal: as long as Russia continues its war of aggression against Ukraine, there can be no return to business as usual," he said. "Canada will continue to stand with Ukraine."

The World Junior Championship runs from December 26 to January 5.