Canadian immigration officials will block Russian and Belarusian players and officials from entering Alberta for the World Junior Championship, even if they possess valid visas. This decision directly challenges a Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling that ordered the International Ice Hockey Federation to admit Russian squads to five events. While the global governing body disputed the court order, Hockey Canada backed the federal government's restrictive measures. Resistance to the tribunal's reinstatement order has expanded across Europe, with multiple nations vowing to forfeit upcoming matches against Russia.
Key points
National border controls are superseding international athletic court mandates to enforce…: National border controls are superseding international athletic court mandates to enforce wartime political sanctions against Russia and Belarus.
Sports governing bodies face severe tournament disruptions as national federations coordi…: Sports governing bodies face severe tournament disruptions as national federations coordinate widespread boycotts against facing reinstated Russian squads.
Host cities are increasingly leveraging their venue agreements, with Turku threatening to…: Host cities are increasingly leveraging their venue agreements, with Turku threatening to abandon hosting duties for the 2028 World Junior Championship.
Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1
Russian, Belarusian athletes and officials will be prevented from entering Canada regardless of their visa status.
Canada says it will prevent Russian athletes and officials from entering the country for ice hockey’s World Junior Championship in Alberta, effectively barring their participation weeks before the tournament begins.
Canada’s Secretary of State for Sport Adam van Koeverden said on Wednesday that Ottawa opposes Russian and Belarusian participation in international sport “as long as Russia continues its war of aggression against Ukraine with Belarus’s complicity”.
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The minister for 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”, Van Koeverden said.
Hockey Canada has previously said it supports the government’s position.
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