Russia is back in the ice hockey world championships after sports court ruling
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has ruled that Russia must be allowed to return to international ice hockey tournaments, overturning an exclusion imposed after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The ruling cited a lack of sufficient evidence regarding security concerns.
Why it matters
This decision challenges the use of sports sanctions as a tool for international political pressure and creates uncertainty for upcoming world championship events.
Full Screen 1 / 2 Previous photo Next photo FILE - Russia players celebrate during the Ice Hockey World Championship group A match between the Russia and Sweden in Riga, Latvia, May 31, 2021. (AP Photo/Roman Koksarov, File) FILE - Russian Sports Minister Mikhail Degtyarev attends the plenary session of the 'Russia is The Country of Sports' forum in Samara, Russia, Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025. (Sergei Karpukhin, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP, File) Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved
FILE - Russia players celebrate during the Ice Hockey World Championship group A match between the Russia and Sweden in Riga, Latvia, May 31, 2021. (AP Photo/Roman Koksarov, File)
LAUSANNE – Russia must be allowed to return to ice hockey's international tournaments, the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled on Friday, overturning an exclusion in place since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
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