Canada calls Russia's return to world juniors in Alberta a great disappointment

Canada’s foreign affairs minister described the decision to allow Russia back into the ice hockey world championships as a "great disappointment" on Friday. The ruling comes as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine approaches its fifth year and raises immediate questions about the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships hosted in Alberta next winter.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport issued a ruling on Friday that cleared the path for Russia to rejoin international tournaments. This decision overturned previous exclusions imposed by the International Ice Hockey Federation. The federation had banned Russia and Belarus from international competition starting February 28, 2022, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Although the federation expressed disappointment with the new ruling, it stated on Friday that it would act in accordance with the court's decision.

Foreign Minister Anita Anand told CBC’s Power & Politics that the Canadian government is still assessing the implications of the ruling. She said Canada is "not comfortable" with potentially allowing a Russian team to participate in the upcoming tournament. Anand emphasized that the government is keeping its options open as it responds to the geopolitical situation and Russia’s ongoing actions.

"Make no mistake, this is a very unwelcome decision given the geopolitical situation, given the actions of Russia," Anand said. "All options are on the table and I will say, again, I greet this decision with great disappointment."

The World Junior Ice Hockey Championships are scheduled to take place from December 26, 2026, to January 5, 2027. The games will be held in Red Deer and Edmonton, Alberta. The Canadian government has maintained solidarity with Ukraine since the invasion began and declared a 100-year partnership with the country last month.

The sports ruling arrived the same day that tensions flared at the G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting in Atlanta. The United States cancelled a traditional group photo after several European officials threatened to boycott the picture over the inclusion of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Anand was traveling to a Canada-EU summit in Montreal and missed the event but said she would have joined the boycott. She noted that she sat across from Lavrov once meetings began and told him Russia’s attacks in Ukraine were "absolutely reprehensible and contrary to international law."