IIHF announces Belarus out of World Juniors, World Championship; ‘exploring all available avenues’ on Russia
The IIHF has confirmed that Belarus will remain excluded from the 2027 World Championship and World Juniors due to ongoing sanctions. The organization is still reviewing its legal position regarding Russia's potential participation following conflicting rulings from the Court of Arbitration of Sport.
Why it matters
This reflects the ongoing intersection of international sports governance and geopolitical sanctions following the invasion of Ukraine.
The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) announced Saturday morning that Belarus will not be allowed to participate in the 2026 World Juniors or the 2027 World Championship, but the organization is still ‘exploring all available avenues’ on Russia’s potential participation in the tournaments. “In accordance with the principles approved by the 2022 IIHF Semi-Annual Congress, the IIHF Council has decided that Belarusian U20 and senior men’s national teams will not participate in the IIHF World Junior Championship 2027 and the IIHF World Championship 2027, respectively,” the statement read. Russia and Belarus have both been banned from participating in international hockey tournaments since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began in 2022. “The Council’s decision follows the IIHF Disciplinary Board’s ruling, which partially upheld the Belarusian Ice Hockey Association’s appeal against the Council’s decisions of 27 July 2026.
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