CAS Decision Sparks Crisis
Russia will return to international ice hockey competitions following a ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, lsm.lv reported.
Two of the three judges who formed the panel and voted in favor of Russia’s reinstatement visited Moscow during the past year and a half, according to reports from Finnish and Swiss media. The International Ice Hockey Federation has not yet filed an appeal because it is waiting for the full written judgment.
Arbitration Panel Visits Moscow
Sportacentrs.com reported that the three-judge panel was led by Giulio Palermo, who spoke at a conference in Moscow weeks before his appointment to the case. Palermo stated that he paid for the trip himself and that it occurred before he joined the panel, Sportacentrs.com noted.
A second panelist, Ismail Selims of Egypt, also attended the same conference in Moscow, which was organized by a Russian law firm and the Cairo Regional Centre for International Commercial Arbitration, according to Sportacentrs.com. A Swiss judge from Zurich resigned from the Court of Arbitration for Sport over the panel’s composition, citing potential conflicts of interest and doubts regarding Palermo’s independence, Sportacentrs.com reported.
Russia Replaces Norway in Elite Division Tournament Schedules
The International Ice Hockey Federation sent an official letter to the Norwegian Ice Hockey Association stating that Norway must leave the elite division so Russia can take its place, lsm.lv reported. TVNET Sports noted that the Latvian Ice Hockey Federation also received a new U-20 tournament schedule featuring Russia.
The junior world championship is scheduled to run from December 26 to January 5 in Canada, a country that previously stated it does not plan to issue visas to Russian players for the tournament, TVNET Sports reported. Ice hockey federations in Latvia, Finland, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, and the Czech Republic have stated their positions against playing against Russian teams, according to TVNET Sports.
Latvian Officials Seek Full CAS Judgment for Appeal
International Ice Hockey Federation council member Viesturs Koziols called the judges’ travel a strong reason to appeal the decision in the Swiss Federal Tribunal, lsm.lv reported. We unfortunately have received only a decision from CAS that is a page and a half long, but we have not received the full judgment,
Koziols said, according to lsm.lv. In order for us to prepare a quality appeal, we need to see the full text.
Latvian Education and Science Minister Ilze Indriksone publicly called on Latvian sports officials holding positions in international federations that reinstated Russian and Belarusian athletes to resign, lsm.lv reported.
Koziols rejected the call and refused to step down from his post. In my opinion, this is a very shortsighted, very ill-considered, and very unprofessional call, because you have a much greater chance to influence something if you participate in decision-making,
Koziols stated, according to lsm.lv. If you just sit on the sideline and grumble, then you cannot influence decisions.
Consequences of Refusing to Play
Sportazinas.com reported that under Latvia’s sports legislation adopted in 2022 following the invasion of Ukraine, teams are prohibited from playing against Russian representatives. If Latvia refuses to play against Russia at the world championship, the team will receive a loss for that match under force majeure rules, but other games will not be canceled and the team will not be relegated to a lower division, Koziols explained in an interview with the program D sektors,
cited by Sportazinas.com.
That is a huge plus,
Koziols said, according to Sportazinas.com. It is no benefit, but it is better than if the team were sent to a lower division.
Meanwhile, the International Ice Hockey Federation decided last week to bar Belarusian men’s and U-20 national teams from world championships, while maintaining a partial reinstatement for Belarus in the U-18 elite division that includes Latvia, lsm.lv reported.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will the full Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling arrive?
International Ice Hockey Federation practice indicates that full written judgments typically arrive two to six months after the initial decision takes legal effect, according to lsm.lv.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled that @IIHFHockey must immediately allow Russia to participate in all upcoming tournaments. Russia returns starting with 2027 World Juniors in Edmonton in 57 days. IIHF says it "disagrees" with the ruling, citing safety and security…
Which countries have received updated tournament schedules?
The Norwegian Ice Hockey Association and the Latvian Ice Hockey Federation have received official documentation and updated game calendars incorporating Russia into the elite division, lsm.lv and TVNET Sports reported.
What is the status of the Belarusian national teams?
The International Ice Hockey Federation voted last week to keep Belarusian men’s and U-20 teams excluded from world championships, while a prior partial reinstatement allowing Belarus into the U-18 elite division remains in effect, lsm.lv reported.
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