Ice Hockey World Cup in Germany: A goal for Russia

The Russians are coming. They will appear in Germany in May 2027. The International Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has annulled the exclusion of Russian teams from International Ice Hockey Federation tournaments. Russian media proudly report on the end of the ban that was imposed on Russian ice hockey following the Russian Federation's attack on Ukraine in February 2022.

The time when Western politics influenced sport is finally over, says Russian Sports Minister Mikhail Degtyarev. In July, the International Olympic Committee recommended that sports federations remove all sanctions against Russian sports imposed after Russia's brutal attack on Ukraine. Russia should be rehabilitated as completely as possible by the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

The IOC will also know that the war in Ukraine does not provide a reason to lift the sanctions. The drone and missile war, including against civilian targets in Ukraine, has become even more brutal and deadly this year than in previous years. Russians continue to raze entire cities to the ground. Hundreds of athletes also fell victim to the war in Ukraine. But the IOC doesn't want to burden itself with all of this any further. The IOC justifies its decision by saying that athletes should not pay for what their governments are doing.

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Russia, which has always remained well connected in the sports world despite the ban on its national symbols from all stadiums at international competitions, has prevailed with its lobbying work. However, the price for this victory at the green table could be high. The war against Ukraine will be the subject of every international competition with Russian participation. In any case, the IOC will not achieve its goal of depoliticizing sport by re-admitting Russian athletes.

The discussions about the Ice Hockey World Cup are already in full swing, almost half a year before the tournament begins. The ice hockey association from Finland, where puck sport is a kind of national religion, has already announced that it does not want to compete against Russia. Latvian athletes are prohibited by law from competing against Russian athletes. Latvia will also be taking part in the Ice Hockey World Cup next May.

But are all Russian ice hockey players allowed to enter the country? The World Gymnastics Championships two weeks ago in Rotterdam took place without the exceptional Russian gymnast Angelina Melnikova. The young woman, who once ran for the Kremlin party United Russia in a regional election, did not get a visa from the Netherlands. Will the German Foreign Ministry allow the Russian superstar and self-confessed Putin friend Alexander Ovechkin into the country? And in the event of a clash, will a German national player shake his hand after the game? No, the sport will certainly not become less political by re-admitting teams from Russia.

From a Russian perspective, that was exactly what was so bitter about the sports sanctions, which no longer apply. Two Olympic Games have taken place since 2022 without the Russian anthem being played. The 2024 Summer Games in Paris in particular were celebrated almost all over the world as a wonderful celebration of sport. Nobody missed Russian athletes in Paris. This was a harsh punishment for Russian sport and Russian self-confidence. It's a shame that it is no longer used now.