Russian-Nordic Hockey Friendships Broken by War, Recovery Uncertain

The Court of Arbitration for Sport has ordered the International Ice Hockey Federation to allow Russia to return to international competition, prompting Finland and several other nations to boycott games against Russian teams. The ruling comes ahead of the men's world championship in Germany in May. Before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, ice hockey fostered close cross-border ties between Finnish, Norwegian, and Russian teams through amateur leagues and pre-season friendlies. Finnish clubs like RoKi and Tunturi-Kiekko regularly collaborated with Russian counterparts, building friendships and networks across the Arctic region. The war ended all such cooperation, closed the Finland-Russia border, and led Finland to join Nato. Local players and organizers express sadness over lost connections, with the Barents Secretariat noting that rebuilding trust after the war ends will take considerable time.