# Canada blocks Russian and Belarusian ice hockey players

> Canada will bar Russia and Belarus from the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships next month, defying a court ruling that lifted Russia's suspension from international competition.
- Title: Canada blocks Russian and Belarusian ice hockey players
- Summary: Canada will bar Russia and Belarus from the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships next month, defying a court ruling that lifted Russia's suspension from…
- Keywords: ice hockey, world junior championships, canada, russia, belarus, ukraine, iihf, court of arbitration for sport, BBC Sport
- Source: BBC Sport — https://bbc.co.uk/sport/ice-hockey/articles/c6dxw090qvnzo
- Published: 2026-11-04T07:58:39.609+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: ice hockey, world junior championships, canada, russia, belarus, ukraine, iihf, court of arbitration for sport, news, world
## Court overturns Russia's suspension
Russia had been banned from International Ice Hockey Federation events since invading Ukraine in February two thousand twenty-two. Last week the Court of Arbitration for Sport overturned that ban.
## Canada refuses to let them compete
Canada's prime minister Mark Carney said Russian and Belarusian athletes will not compete in the World Junior Championships. The tournament runs from twenty-sixth December to fifth January.

> 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.
## Other nations follow Canada's lead
Norway, Denmark, Sweden and the Czech Republic said on Tuesday they would refuse to play Russia at next year's men's Ice Hockey World Championship in Germany.
## Key takeaway

Canada's prime minister Mark Carney said Russian and Belarusian athletes will not compete in the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships from December twenty-sixth to January fifth, citing the war in Ukraine.