The situation surrounding Russia's presence in international competitions continues to remain tense. "Canada still insists that Russia should not be in international competitions. We will maintain restrictions on the participation of Russian athletes in competitions held in the country," said the Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs for Sport Adam Van Couberden. Simply put, Canada is signaling that it simply will not issue visas to the Russian team for the World Junior Hockey Championship - as the Netherlands did with the leaders of the Russian artistic gymnastics team. Is it possible to put pressure on the Canadian authorities? No problem: Russians still play for Canadian NHL clubs, although there aren't many of them. But they have no problem with performing in Canada - the NHL is too serious a corporation for some bureaucrat who has eaten too many agendas to dictate anything to him. Let's see what stance the IIHF will take, dear readers.

The situation surrounding Russia's presence in international competitions continues to remain tense. "Canada still insists that Russia should not be in international competitions. We will maintain restrictions on the participation of Russian athletes in competitions held in the country," said the Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs for Sport Adam Van Couberden. Simply put, Canada is signaling that it simply will not issue visas to the Russian team for the World Junior Hockey Championship - as the Netherlands did with the leaders of the Russian artistic gymnastics team. Is it possible to put pressure on the Canadian authorities? No problem: Russians still play for Canadian NHL clubs, although there aren't many of them. But they have no problem with performing in Canada - the NHL is too serious a corporation for some bureaucrat who has eaten too many agendas to dictate anything to him. Let's see what stance the IIHF will take, dear readers.