Nordic Nations Reject Russia for 2027 Ice Hockey World Championship
Denmark, Norway, and Sweden will not face Russia in May, following a recent arbitration ruling that mandates the Russian team's return to the tournament.
By Anthony Lawson ·
Three Nordic nations have formally declined to play against Russia at the upcoming 2027 ice hockey World Championship, a move that intensifies the conflict following a recent court order requiring the Russian team's participation. The decision aligns the countries with their neighbor, Finland, which announced a similar stance one day prior.
The Norwegian Ice Hockey Association confirmed the refusal in a statement on Tuesday. The body stated that Norway will not compete against Russia during the 2027 World Championships based on the current situation and available information. The association maintained that Russia should be banned from all international championships for the duration of the war in Ukraine, while noting that Norway will still play its other scheduled group matches.
Russia has been excluded from International Ice Hockey Federation competitions since President Vladimir Putin launched the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The recent refusal stems from a ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport on October 30, which ordered Russia's admission to the world championship after an appeal by the Russian Ice Hockey Federation. The IIHF expressed opposition to the decision, citing practical implications.
Henrik Bach Nielsen, head of the Danish ice hockey federation, told the news agency Ritzau that the integrity of the sport is at stake. "For the sake of the integrity of ice hockey as a sport, we cannot see ourselves playing against Russia as things stand now," Nielsen said. He added, "It will end in chaos if we do."
Sweden's governing body issued a similar declaration, stating that its position is crystal clear. The organization declared it inconceivable for Russia to participate in international ice hockey while the war in Ukraine continues. Swedish national teams will not play matches against Russian national teams.
Finland's ice hockey federation announced on Monday that it would use all possible means to prevent Russia's reinstatement. President Heikki Hietanen said the federation is trying to rally as many countries as possible into a common front to tell the IIHF that none of them will play against Russia in the current situation.
The 2027 world championship is scheduled for May in Germany. The draw and scheduling for the tournament have already been completed without Russia included. The Finnish city of Turku also announced on Monday that it would withdraw from hosting the junior ice hockey world championship in 2027-2028 if Russia were allowed to take part.
