Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Tuesday that Russia will not be allowed to play at the upcoming world junior hockey tournament, adding to a growing boycott by the world’s hockey powers ahead of the men’s tournament next year in Germany.
Sweden, Finland, the Czech Republic, Norway, Latvia and Denmark came out with statements signing up for a boycott of games against Russia as long as the war in Ukraine is ongoing. A top sponsor of the world championships next year threatened to walk away, after Finland announced Monday it was rallying other nations to refuse to play Russia.
Carney said Canada respects those decisions but that the nation had its own decision to make. The world juniors, featuring the top men’s players under age 20, is being held in the province of Alberta beginning in late December.
“While Russia and Belarus are supporting this illegal and unjustified horrific war in Ukraine, as long as that’s going on, there will be none of those athletes competing for their countries in Canada,” Carney said. “So if you’re asking specifically about the world juniors, the Russians will not be there.”
Austria told The Associated Press it is weighing whether to join the six others in boycotting, and Germany is unsure of hosting the men’s championship.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled last week that the International Ice Hockey Federation must reinstate Russian teams, beginning with the world juniors. The team has been excluded since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
There was no immediate reaction from the IIHF to the boycotts. USA Hockey and Hockey Canada did not respond Tuesday to messages from the AP seeking comment.
