Confident Russians Threaten Canada with Plan B Ahead of Hockey Championship
Confident Russians are threatening Canada ahead of the hockey championship, hinting at a Plan B. Canada refuses to grant visas to Russian players and will block those with visas from playing, while seven teams refuse to face them. The Court of Arbitration for Sport ordered the IIHF to reinstate Russia, which continues its war in Ukraine, into elite tournaments. The IIHF complied, replacing Norway with Russia for the under-20 World Championship hosted by Canada in seven weeks. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney reaffirmed that no Russian or Belarusian athletes will represent their countries in Canada while the war continues. Russian Sports Minister Mikhail Degtyarov claims a secret Plan B, suggesting alternative host locations like Dubai.