Prime Minister Mark Carney has confirmed that Canada will bar athletes representing Russia and Belarus from entering the country to compete in the World Junior Hockey Championship in Alberta in December.
“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 said on Nov. 3.
Carney’s comments come after the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled on Oct. 30 that Russia must be reinstated to international hockey competition, starting with the World Junior Tournament.
Following this decision, Russian Sports Minister Mikhail Degtyarev said on Oct. 30 that his country would work with the International Ice Hockey Federation to secure its return to international competitions.
Global Affairs Canada said on Nov. 3 that the federal government has “consistently opposed the participation of athletes representing Russia and Belarus under their national flags, symbols, colours or anthems in international sporting competitions” since Russia invaded Ukraine in February of 2022.
“This opposition will continue,” said the statement, signed by Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand, Immigration Minister Lena Diab, and Secretary of State (Sport) Adam van Koeverden.
The ministers said Canada’s opposition to the participation of Russian and Belarusian players has not changed because “Russia’s actions have not changed.” They said international sporting federations should keep this ban in place as long as the Russia-Ukraine war continues.
The letter said Diab would use the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act to individually assess and prevent Russian and Belarusian athletes, coaches, and officials from entering Canada to compete using their national symbols, while events that receive federal funding must also continue prohibiting the participation of these athletes.
“This measure is not directed at the Russian and Belarusian people. Rather, it is intended to prevent the governments of Russia and Belarus from using international sporting events hosted in Canada as platforms for state representation, political legitimacy and propaganda,” the letter said.
“Individual athletes competing in a neutral capacity will continue to be able to participate in international sport events hosted by Canada.”
The hockey federations in Finland, the Czech Republic, Sweden, and Latvia have said their teams will refuse to face Russia in international competitions.
Hockey Canada has said that it supports the government’s decision, and that it has been consulting with the International Ice Hockey Federation and other stakeholders about the potential effect on the tournament.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, whose province is hosting the games from Dec. 26 to Jan. 5, 2027, said she agrees with the federal government’s decision.
“Alberta is now home to 70k Ukrainian evacuees who remain unable to return home because of Russia’s invasion of their country. We in Alberta stand with them,” she said in a social media post on Nov. 3.
The Canadian Press contributed to this story.
