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Russia Will Not Compete at World Junior Hockey Championship in Canada, PM Carney Says
Canada will bar Russian and Belarusian players from the World Junior Hockey Championships in Alberta, Prime Minister Mark Carney said. The decision comes amid Russia’s war in Ukraine and a dispute over whether Russian athletes should be allowed back into international hockey.
The tournament is scheduled for late December to early January. Carney said athletes from Russia and Belarus would not compete for their countries in Canada while their governments support the war. Norway, Denmark, Sweden and the Czech Republic have also said they will refuse to play Russia at next year’s men’s world championship in Germany; Russia’s ambassador to Canada criticised the move as bringing politics into junior hockey.
In short
- Canada will exclude Russian and Belarusian players from the World Juniors.
- The tournament runs from late December to early January in Alberta.
- Four European federations have also said they will refuse to play Russia.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Supporters of the ban argue that allowing Russian and Belarusian teams to compete under their national symbols would confer international legitimacy while their governments continue the war in Ukraine. They see exclusion as a principled response and a way to avoid asking athletes and host nations to treat the conflict as irrelevant to a major international event.
The case against
Opponents argue that junior athletes should not be held responsible for their governments’ actions, and that sport should offer a space for competition across political divides. They warn that national bans can politicise hockey, deny young players opportunities on the basis of nationality, and weaken the principle that sporting participation should be decided by sporting criteria.
Explained simply
The International Ice Hockey Federation organises major tournaments for national teams, including the annual World Junior Championship for under-20 players. Russia and Belarus have been excluded from many international hockey competitions since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The question of whether to readmit Russian teams has divided hockey bodies and countries. Some argue that suspensions should remain while the war continues; others say athletes should be able to compete separately from their governments. The decisions affect young players’ opportunities and the line international sport draws between competition and political conflict.