The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has overturned the ban on Russia imposed by ice hockey’s global governing body, ending the country’s suspension from International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) events that began when Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
Russia national ice hockey team (Credits: BBC Sport)
Russia Ice Hockey Ban: Why CAS Overturned It
The Russian Ice Hockey Federation (RIHF) appealed the IIHF’s decision to CAS, challenging the governing body’s earlier review that kept Russian teams excluded. After an in-person hearing at CAS headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, the court sided with Russia.
CAS said the IIHF’s arguments “citing safety, security and other concerns” were “not supported by sufficient evidence”, the court stated. Russia is now set to rejoin IIHF events for the 2026-27 season, ending a four-year absence from international competition.
What Russia’s Return Means for International Hockey
Since the end of the Soviet Union in 1991, Russia has won the men’s World Championship five times, though it has never claimed the women’s title. The country’s absence has reshaped international tournaments for nearly four years, and its return will immediately reshape the competitive landscape of the men’s and women’s game.
The ruling could also ripple beyond hockey: several other sports federations cited similar safety and security grounds for their own Russian suspensions, and lawyers will now study this precedent closely.
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Source: BBC Sport — read the full story there.
