Sport court rules ice hockey federation must readmit Russian teams to its events

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has ruled that the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) must allow Russian teams to take part in its events, including the world championships. Deutsche Welle and the Associated Press reported the ruling.

In a statement quoted by Deutsche Welle, the IIHF said it respects the authority of CAS and will act in accordance with the ruling.

The ruling

According to Deutsche Welle, CAS announced the decision in a statement published on Friday, 30 October 2026. The court overturned IIHF decisions that excluded Russia from events during the 2026-27 season, including the men's and women's world championships.

Deutsche Welle reported that the CAS statement said there was not enough evidence to support the security concerns the IIHF had cited.

According to Deutsche Welle, CAS ordered the IIHF to allow Russia to take part in five upcoming tournaments. These include the Men's World Championship in Germany next May and the Women's World Championship scheduled for November 2027 in Canada. The first affected tournament is the Men's World Junior Championship, which opens in Edmonton on 26 December, the broadcaster reported. Deutsche Welle said the CAS statement does not mention the Women's World Championship hosted by Denmark, which starts on Friday, 6 November.

Background

According to Deutsche Welle, the IIHF has barred Russian teams since shortly after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. As a result, Russia also missed the Olympic hockey tournaments in Milan earlier this year. Russia and the Soviet Union have won 27 men's world titles, second only to Canada with 28, Deutsche Welle reported. The broadcaster also reported that the IIHF elected a new president earlier this month. Franz Reindl of Germany succeeded Luc Tardif of France.

What each side says

• Russia: Sports Minister Mikhail Degtyaryov welcomed the ruling. According to Deutsche Welle, he wrote on Telegram that CAS had "recognized the demands of the Russian Hockey Federation on key points as justified."
• IIHF: The federation expressed disappointment. Deutsche Welle quoted its statement as saying the IIHF "maintains that its decisions were necessary to protect the safety and security of all participants and safeguard the integrity of its competitions." The statement added: "While the IIHF respects the authority of CAS and will act in accordance with its ruling, the outcome does not remove the concerns that informed its assessments."
• CAS: According to Deutsche Welle's account of its statement, there was insufficient evidence to support the IIHF's security concerns.
• Germany: The German Ice Hockey Federation (DEB) expressed disappointment. Deutsche Welle quoted chairman Frank Lutz as saying: "Our position is unchanged: We reject the return of Russian national teams to international ice hockey tournaments."

What remains unclear

The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not quote the CAS ruling directly. They name only three of the five tournaments. They do not say whether Russia can play in Denmark from 6 November. They do not explain how a November 2027 event falls within the 2026-27 season. They do not say whether the ruling can be appealed. They do not describe the IIHF's security concerns or its evidence. They include no reactions from Ukraine, Canada, Denmark or federations other than the DEB. Only a short summary of the Associated Press report was available for review.

Analysis

The ruling sets a legal obligation against a position the IIHF says it still holds. This creates tension between compliance and the federation's stated concerns. Practical questions follow. Host federations, starting with Canada for the junior event on 26 December, may need to plan for Russian participation. Germany's federation, host of next May's men's championship, has said it rejects Russia's return. Several scenarios remain open. These include a possible appeal, which the reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not address, and further statements from other federations. How the IIHF applies the ruling to each tournament may shape the next steps.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.