Sweden's Simon Edvinsson sends a shot past Russia goaltender Yaroslav Askarov during second period IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship action in Red Deer, Alberta on Sunday, December 26, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward
CAS defends Russian hockey reinstatement, says IIHF failed to justify ban
Nov 5, 2026 | 9:20 AM
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LAUSANNE — The Court of Arbitration for Sport defended its decision to reinstate Russia to international hockey competition Thursday, saying the ruling was based strictly on the legal arguments and evidence presented.
In a statement acknowledging the divisive reaction to last week’s ruling, CAS said the International Ice Hockey Federation failed to provide sufficient evidence to justify continuing its ban on Russian teams.
Russian and Belarusian teams have been barred from international hockey since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
CAS said the IIHF did not make a strong enough case to support its concerns about bringing Russia back into competition or allowing Russian players to compete as neutral athletes.
