A year later, they are ready to return to the issue of Russia’s return to the IIHF.
In mid-March, a telegram channel linked to the Russian Ice Hockey Federation started a rumor that Russia might be returned to the 2024 Ice Hockey World Championship. Allegedly, such a decision may be made at the congress of the International Ice Hockey Federation during the 2023 World Cup. First, the youth team will be returned, and then the adult team.
However, this turned out to be only a fantasy of the FHR employees. At the meeting of the IIHF Council on March 22, it was decided extend the suspension of the national teams of Russia and Belarus for the next season-2023/24. Thus, these teams will not take part in the World Cup in 2024 in the Czech Republic. You should also forget regarding youth and junior championships.
Just like a year ago, when the organization announced that Russians and Belarusians were not allowed to the 2022 World Cup in Finland, one argument was cited in official press releases. The reason is called inability to provide security. This wording infuriates many people in Russia. But in this case, the phrase is suitable: everyone understands everything. Or should understand.
Due to the political situation in the world and the conflict in Ukraine, the acute phase of which does not end, the Russian team cannot be allowed to participate in international tournaments. This will go once morest all the sanctions that the European Union, the United States, Canada and other countries take once morest Russia and Belarus.
Comparing the international tournaments of national teams and the performance of individual Russians in the NHL is not worth it. Because the Russian national team, even without a flag, an anthem and a familiar uniform, is a national team representing Russia, and not an individual player in a club who is not responsible for the actions of his state. Moreover, the Russian national hockey team (the situation is similar in Belarus) is very closely connected with the state and the president. The IIHF is simply not ready to take such a step, because Latvia, Finland, the Czech Republic, Sweden will not silently nod and will not agree to the return of Russia. I admit that all these countries might simply boycott the World Cup.
I am sure that the IIHF understands the value of the Russian team as a strong player, but today the organization can do much more harm from it. It is worth remembering how quickly in 2021, following the riot of sponsors, the federation decided to move the world championship from Minsk to Riga. The reason: the protests of the summer of 2020 in the country and the victory of Alexander Lukashenko in the presidential elections, which were not recognized in Europe. Now the situation is much more complicated.
And following all it is necessary to take into account that the adult world championships are held in Europe. Russians are not allowed into European countries bordering Russia without special conditions and reasons; in fact, the land border with Finland, Estonia and Latvia is closed. Schengen visas continue to be issued, but getting them has become more difficult. There are no more direct flights to European cities. This means that Russian tourists practically do not have the opportunity to travel to Europe.
The Ice Hockey World Championship is a holiday. And in today’s realities, it is unlikely to be so for the Russians.
For a year now, Russian sports have been isolated from international ones. Some progress is being made on the return, but the situation has not changed fundamentally and will not change in the near future. There are proposals to allow Russian athletes who condemn the actions of their country or those who simply do not speak out on political topics.
IIHF President Luc Tardif, following the announcement of the decision to skip the Russian team for the next season, said that in a year his federation would return to this issue. This means that Alexander Ovechkin still has a theoretical chance to win an Olympic medal.
“We asked the coordinating committee to come up with a proposal in the spring of next year and work on the issue of returning teams not only to the World Cup, but also to the Olympic qualification tournament, which will begin next summer,” Tardif was quoted as saying by the IIHF official website.
But there are no guarantees here either. Russian sport needs to learn to live without international tournaments. It is still hard to imagine how this is possible. But there is simply no other option.
Author: Daria Tuboltseva
