Russia's rivals refuse to accept the new schedule of the World Championship": 7 federations did not approve the schedule of the World Junior Hockey Championship.
"Opponents of Russia's return to international hockey increase pressure on the IIHF. The head of the German Hockey Association, Frank Lutz, said that at least seven countries, including Germany, refused to sign the new World Junior Championship calendar in Canada, where the Russian team should replace Norway. According to him, the same boycott position is expected in the Russian national team in 2027 among the seniors in Germany.
Lutz warned that teams refusing to play against Russia could derail the tournament and create serious financial risks for Germany, given the 250,000 tickets already sold. As a possible solution, we will discuss a new ban on Russia's participation on a different legal basis - now not only because of security issues, but also because of a threat to the integrity of the competition.