IIHF extends ban on Belarus’, Russia’s hockey teams
February 13, Pozirk. The International Ice Hockey Federation’s (IIHF) Council decided to exclude Russia and Belarus from its 2024/2025 championship season, the IIHF press office reported.
“It is not yet safe to reincorporate the Russian and Belarusian Teams back into IIHF Competitions,” the Council said, extending the ban until May 2025.
The decision will also affect the participation of the Belarusian hockey team in the Olympic qualification tournament this August, where it was placed in a group together with Kazakhstan, Slovakia and Ukraine.
The IIHF banned Russia and Belarus from the 2022 and 2023 World Championships after Russia launched a full-scale war on Ukraine in February 2022 with the support of Belarus’ authorities. In 2021, Belarusians showed the second-worst performance at the world championship.
The next Winter Olympics will be held in February 2026 in Italy’s Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo.
Belarus' ice hockey team barred from 2024 World Championship
March 22, BPN. The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) Council has barred the Belarusian and Russian national teams from competing in the 2024 World Championship. The decision was taken after consultations with "a renowned company that specializes in assessing risks …