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Russia, Belarus banned from ice hockey world championships for another year

by Sonya Bandouil February 13, 2024 1:40 AM 1 min read

Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko attends an ice hockey friendly match at Peking University on Dec. 4, 2023 in Beijing, China. (Wang Tiantian/VCG via Getty Images)

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The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) decided that Russian and Belarusian national and club teams will not participate in the 2024/2025 championship season.

The IIHF said that “it is not yet safe to reincorporate the teams back into IIHF competitions.” The decision also disqualifies the Belarusian team from participating in the August 2024 Final Olympic Qualification Round.

Luc Tardif, IIHF president, previously said that the bans were a “question of security” for hockey fans and teams alike.

The International Olympic Committee recently announced that Russian and Belarusian athletes will be permitted to compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics, if they compete as neutrals.

In May 2025, the decision will be made about whether or not Russian and Belarusian athletes can participate in the 2025/2026 IIHF season, preceding the 2026 Italy Winter Olympics. Russia recently appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, the highest court in global sport, for the Olympic ban to be reconsidered.

Author: Sonya Bandouil

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