When the Court of Arbitration for Sport made its decision known on Friday, October 30, Mikhail Degtyaryov, Russia’s sports minister, declared the argument over. Writing on Telegram, he said CAS had “recognized the demands of the Russian Hockey Federation on key points as justified” and said the ruling was final and could not be appealed.
The court overturned International Ice Hockey Federation decisions excluding Russia from events in the 2026-27 season, including the men’s and women’s world championships. The ruling was published on Friday.
It brings Russian teams back into five upcoming tournaments after the IIHF barred them shortly after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The dispute turned on security. In January 2026, the IIHF council decided against reintegrating Russia for the 2026-27 season, citing safety and security concerns. It maintained that position in June 2026, before the Russian Ice Hockey Federation appealed to CAS.
A three-person panel heard the case at CAS headquarters in Lausanne on October 23 and 26. It found that the IIHF’s safety, security and other arguments lacked sufficient evidence.
The panel unanimously concluded that security concerns had to be substantiated before they could outweigh participation by athletes of a particular nationality. It set aside the IIHF council decision with immediate effect and ordered the federation to allow Russia into the five tournaments.
The IIHF said it was disappointed and stated that it “maintains that its decisions were necessary to protect the safety and security of all participants and safeguard the integrity of its competitions.”
What Russia will wear, fly or hear at those events remains unresolved. It is unclear whether restrictions will apply to flags, clothing or the playing of the national anthem.
The Women’s Ice Hockey World Championship is scheduled for November 2027 in Canada. Other events covered by the ruling include under-18 world championships in 2027 in Minnesota and the Czech Republic. The Men’s World Junior Championship opens in Edmonton on December 26.
The men’s championship will be hosted by Germany next year, placing the issue in front of Franz Reindl soon after he took over as IIHF president from Luc Tardif of France earlier this month.
Frank Lutz, chairman of Germany’s ice hockey association DEB, said Germany’s view had not changed. “We reject the return of Russian national teams to international ice hockey tournaments,” he said on Friday. “Allowing Russia in has significant security, political and financial consequences for us as hosts.”
Russia and the Soviet Union have won 27 men’s World Championships, behind Canada’s 28. Russia last won the men’s gold medal in 2014. Since 1991, Russia have won the men’s World Championship five times and have never won the women’s title.
Russia missed this year’s Olympic hockey tournaments in Milan. Since 2022, it has staged exhibition games using developmental rosters, mostly against Belarus and Kazakhstan.
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