The International Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) announced on Friday that Russia will be allowed to participate in international ice‑hockey competitions, including the upcoming World Championships. The decision follows a series of appeals by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) and the Russian Ice Hockey Federation, which had previously been suspended from international play due to the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. In a statement released by the Finnish Ice Hockey Association (Suomen Jääkiekkoliitto), its chairman Heikki Hietanen confirmed that Finland will take part in the World Championships regardless of Russia’s status. “We will compete as scheduled,” Hietanen said, adding that the association was ready to respond to any developments. The CAS ruling was met with surprise across the hockey community. The IIHF had been working to reintegrate Russian teams into international play, but the suspension had remained in place until the court’s decision. The announcement is expected to affect the composition of the tournament and the qualification process for the next Olympic cycle. The decision comes after the IIHF and the Russian federation filed a case with CAS in 2023, arguing that the suspension violated the principles of fair play and the rights of athletes. CAS found that the IIHF had not provided sufficient evidence to justify the ban and ordered the federation to lift the suspension. The Finnish Ice Hockey Association’s statement was issued through the Finnish media outlet Ilta-Sanomat. No further details were provided regarding the association’s internal deliberations or potential diplomatic implications.
Article source: Cedar News | Image credit: Cedar News