Canada Blocks Russian U20 Team from World Junior Championship

Canada has denied visas to Russia's U20 hockey team for the upcoming World Junior Championship, preventing their participation despite a court ruling allowing their return. The Canadian government informed the IIHF and Hockey Canada of the decision, which applies even to players with valid visas. Sports secretary Adam van Koeverden stated athletes representing Russia or Belarus cannot compete in Canada while those nations support the war in Ukraine. The Court of Arbitration for Sport had recently ruled Russian teams must be readmitted to IIHF events, leading to their inclusion in the tournament schedule. Several nations, including Switzerland, had announced they would boycott games against Russia. The Russian federation now demands sanctions against boycotting bodies or relocation of the tournament.