Canada to Bar Russian Hockey Team From World Juniors Over War in Ukraine

Canada will not allow Russia’s national ice hockey team to compete at the upcoming World Junior Championship in Alberta, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Tuesday, Nov. 3, despite a recent international sports arbitration ruling ordering Russia’s return to competition. Carney said Russian and Belarusian athletes would be barred from representing their countries at sporting events in Canada as long as Moscow continues its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. “While Russia and Belarus are supporting this illegal, unjustified, horrific war in Ukraine, as long as that’s going on, there will be none of those athletes competing for their countries in Canada,” Carney told reporters at the Commonwealth Summit in Antigua. “So, if you’re asking specifically about the world juniors, the Russians will not be there.” The 2027 World Junior Hockey Championship is scheduled to begin Dec. 26, 2026, in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta. Carney’s announcement follows a controversial Oct. 30 decision by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which ordered the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) to allow Russia to return to international tournaments. Canada moves to block Russia despite sports court ruling In a joint statement released Nov. 3, Canada’s foreign affairs, immigration and sports officials confirmed that Ottawa would use immigration powers to prevent Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials from entering the country to compete under their national symbols. Other Topics of Interest Drone Strike Hits Russian E-Commerce Giant Ozon, Sparks Warehouse Fire A drone strike sparked a fire at an Ozon warehouse in southern Russia, forcing staff to evacuate amid repeated attacks on Russian logistics facilities. The statement was issued by Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand, Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab and Secretary of State for Sport Adam van Koeverden. Under subsection 22.1(1) of Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, the immigration minister will assess cases individually to prevent athletes and officials from entering Canada for competitions where they would represent Russia or Belarus. The government emphasized that individual athletes competing in a neutral capacity would remain eligible to participate in international sporting events hosted by Canada. Ottawa also confirmed that sporting competitions receiving Canadian government funding must continue prohibiting Russian and Belarusian athletes from competing under their national flags, anthems or other national symbols. Canadian officials said the restrictions were intended to prevent Moscow and Minsk from using international sporting events to gain political legitimacy and international recognition. “Canada’s position has not changed because Russia’s actions have not changed,” the government statement said. It added that neither Russia nor Belarus should receive formal representation in international sport while Russia continues its invasion of Ukraine with Belarusian support. Canada reiterates support for Ukraine Canada’s government tied its decision to its broader support for Ukraine. In its Nov. 3 statement, Ottawa said it had committed more than C$26 billion in assistance to Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion and imposed sanctions on more than 4,200 individuals, organizations and vessels. The government argued that international sporting events should not provide Moscow with opportunities to normalize its actions or enhance its standing abroad. Officials also stressed that the restrictions target state representation rather than Russian or Belarusian citizens as individuals. “Canada’s position is unequivocal: as long as Russia continues its war of aggression against Ukraine, there can be no return to business as usual,” the statement said. “Canada will continue to stand with Ukraine.” Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 90% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.