IIHF bars Belarus from WJC, men’s worlds; exploring ways to meet CAS ruling on Russia

The International Ice Hockey Federation is barring Belarus’ under-20 and senior men’s teams from competing at the upcoming world junior championship and the 2027 world championships.

The IIHF’s council, which partially upheld the Belarusian Ice Hockey Association’s appeal against its decisions on July 27, said its disciplinary board confirmed that there was not a legal basis to order reintegration at this time.

The ruling comes days after a firestorm ensued from the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling against the IIHF to have Russia be reintegrated into international competition as early as the world junior championship in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alta., in December.

Numerous countries came together to boycott the decision, while Prime Minister Mark Carney said Canada will not allow Russia to compete at the event.

The IIHF added in its statement Saturday that it maintains its disagreement over the decision involving Russia, but is “taking the necessary steps required by the CAS ruling and reviewing what conditions would need to be met to safeguard our Championships, protect the organization’s financial stability and secure the long-term future of international ice hockey.”

The organization also added that it’s “exploring all available avenues, including opening discussions with all affected MNAs, including the Russian Ice Hockey Federation, to identify a constructive way forward that serves the interests of global ice hockey.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 7, 2026.

The Canadian Press