European hockey federations push to exclude Russia from World Junior Championship
European ice hockey federations are moving to boycott matches against Russia ahead of the World Junior Championship, despite legal warnings over exclusion grounds.
Uncertainty surrounds the upcoming World Junior Ice Hockey Championship in Canada following decisions by several national federations to boycott matches against Russia. The Finnish Ice Hockey Association announced it would use all available measures to prevent the Russian national team from participating due to the ongoing war in Ukraine. Similar stances have been adopted by federations in Sweden and Switzerland, while Canadian officials have indicated that Russian players will not be granted entry.
However, legal experts have raised questions regarding the boycotts. Legal scholar Seppo Koskinen cautioned that the Finnish association’s legal grounds for excluding Russian athletes might not sustain legal scrutiny if challenged. Despite the opposition, updated match schedules reflecting potential Russian inclusion have created disruption for participating teams just weeks before the tournament begins.
Sources: Helsingin Sanomat, Iltalehti.
How outlets assessed this
- Nov 10, 2026, 05:00 AM UTC
- Iltalehti Skeptical Highlights legal warnings that the Finnish Ice Hockey Association's grounds for boycotting Russia may not hold up legally.
- Helsingin Sanomat Neutral Focuses on the widespread boycotts by European teams and the operational disruption to the tournament schedule.