The Court of Arbitration for Sport defended its decision to reinstate Russia to international hockey competition Thursday, saying the ruling was based strictly on the legal arguments and evidence presented.
In a statement acknowledging the divisive reaction to last week’s ruling, CAS said the International Ice Hockey Federation failed to provide sufficient evidence to justify continuing its ban on Russian teams.
Russian and Belarusian teams have been barred from international hockey since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
CAS said the IIHF did not make a strong enough case to support its concerns about bringing Russia back into competition or allowing Russian players to compete as neutral athletes.
The statement comes after Prime Minister Mark Carney declared Tuesday that Russian players would not be permitted to compete at next month’s world juniors hockey championship in Edmonton and Red Deer.
“So if you’re asking specifically about the world juniors, the Russians will not be there,” Carney said Tuesday while attending the Commonwealth Summit in Antigua.
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Canadian lawyer Dick Pound, who has worked as an arbitrator and a mediator with CAS, has said the court cannot not force Canada to admit Russian players.
The IIHF has opposed Russia’s immediate reinstatement, citing security, logistical and competitive concerns, while several European hockey federations have said their teams would refuse to face Russia.
The federal government said it would use its immigration powers to prevent Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials from entering Canada to compete under their national symbols.
The international governing body has faced pressure from several of its member nations. Finland, Sweden, Czechia, Norway, Denmark, Latvia and Austria have said they will not play Russia in international tournaments.
The CAS decision has also seen some backlash from sponsors including Czech automaker Skoda. It says it will “reassess” its main sponsorship of the men’s world championship if Russia is allowed to play in that tournament.
The IIHF said Wednesday that the impact of the ruling had been “significantly underestimated” and said it was still deciding how to react.
Russian Sports Minister Mikhail Degtyaryov said in a statement via the Tass news agency on Tuesday that he expected his country to be awarded wins if other nations forfeit games, and that Russia would send information to the International Olympic Committee about potential boycotts and the conduct of competition host nations.
The world junior championship opens Dec. 26 and features Canada, defending champion Sweden, Czechia, Switzerland, the United States, Germany, Latvia, Slovakia, Norway and Finland.
— With files from The Associated Press.
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