Sweden doubts Russia will voluntarily skip hockey worlds

The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) hopes Russia will voluntarily withdraw from upcoming major tournaments, according to Swedish Hockey Federation head and IIHF council member Anders Larsson. Larsson stated the organization is consulting various countries to determine next steps and assess Russia's reaction to teams refusing to play against it. He considers voluntary withdrawal the best scenario, though he admitted difficulty imagining what would prompt Russia to do so. The comments follow a Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling on October 30 obligating the IIHF to admit Russian teams to 2026-2027 competitions, prompting boycotts from seven nations including Sweden, Finland, and Latvia. Ukraine's team will play at the 2027 World Championship but refuses to face Russia.