Canada’s federal government says Russian athletes with valid visas will not be allowed to play at the 2026 world junior hockey championship in Alberta.
The Story
The federal government said Wednesday that Russian athletes who hold valid visas to play in Canada will still not be permitted to participate in the 2026 world junior hockey championship in Alberta.
A government statement said its position will not change as long as Russia continues its war in Ukraine.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled last month that the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) must reinstate Russia in international hockey.
Russia has been banned from international competition since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, with Belarusian assistance.
Prime Minister Mark Carney said last week that Russian and Belarusian athletes could not compete in Canada despite the CAS decision.
Hockey federations from several nations—including Finland, Sweden, Czechia and Norway—have said they will refuse to compete against Russian players.
The statement also noted that Russians with valid visas are playing in the Canadian Hockey League, and that Russians and Belarusians were banned from the CHL’s import draft from 2022 to 2024 before being allowed back in.
According to the CHL, Russia led this year’s draft with 32 of the 114 players selected.
The world junior championships begin Dec. 26 in Edmonton and Red Deer.
← More stories