Canada bars Russian hockey players from world juniors via immigration powers

The Court of Arbitration for Sport ordered Russia back into international competition last week, but the Canadian government says its athletes will not play in the world junior hockey championship starting December 26.

Prime Minister Mark Carney confirmed the decision Tuesday while attending the Commonwealth Summit in Antigua. He stated plainly that if the question is about the world juniors, the Russians will not be there.

The federal government announced Wednesday that it will use immigration powers to prevent Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials from entering Canada to compete under their national symbols. Ottawa said the measure is designed to stop Moscow from using sporting events on Canadian soil as platforms for political legitimacy and propaganda.

Adam van Koeverden, the secretary of state for sport, addressed concerns that the ban could hurt Canada's chances of hosting future events, including the Olympics. He told reporters the government has been unequivocal in its support for Ukraine and its insistence that Russia and Belarus do not compete while using their national symbols.

The International Ice Hockey Federation reiterated its opposition to the CAS ruling on Wednesday. In a statement, the federation cited logistical, security, and competitive challenges with Russia's immediate return, noting that the global impact of the decision was underestimated.

Veteran sport lawyer Dick Pound, a longtime member of the International Olympic Committee, said the CAS has no authority to dictate which athletes Canada allows into the country. He noted that the Canadian government has the final say on entry visas, adding that Hockey Canada is a sport organization, not a visa-granting body.

Russia's ambassador to Canada, Oleg Stepanov, criticized the move on Tuesday. He called it genuinely regrettable that the cabinet is bringing politics onto the ice and argued that junior hockey should focus on athletic excellence and fair competition.

Several European hockey federations, including those from Sweden, Finland, Czechia, and Latvia, have already said their teams would refuse to face Russia. The opposition has also reached major sponsors for next May's men's world championship in Germany, where companies like Skoda and Nokian Tyres threatened to withdraw backing if Russia participates.

The world junior championship opens December 26 in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta. The ten-team field includes defending champion Sweden, Canada, Czechia, Switzerland, the United States, Germany, Latvia, Slovakia, Norway, and Finland.