Finland to boycott Russia in hockey until Ukraine war ends

The Finnish Ice Hockey Association announced on Monday that its national teams will not compete against Russia in international tournaments for as long as the war in Ukraine continues. This decision follows a ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport that mandated the International Ice Hockey Federation reinstate Russian teams starting with the world juniors tournament scheduled for late December in western Canada. Henna Malmberg, a spokesperson for the Finnish association, stated that the organization believes it is not alone in its stance. She noted that media reports indicated Latvia would also decline to play Russia, citing legal reasons for that decision.

The path to this boycott began with the IIHF's initial suspension of Russian and Belarusian teams following the start of the war. Last week, the Court of Arbitration for Sport intervened, ruling that the federation had to bring Russian teams back into the competitive fold. The arbitration panel set the world juniors event as the first major competition where Russian athletes would be eligible to participate, creating an immediate scheduling conflict for rival nations.

The International Ice Hockey Federation has not yet responded to requests for comment on the specific implications of Finland's boycott. The federation's rulebook addresses forfeits by stating that supplementary discipline will be applied by proper authorities at their discretion. This lack of clarity leaves the status of upcoming matches uncertain, particularly as other nations consider similar actions to protest the return of Russian players.

The decision to boycott has also triggered financial and logistical reviews for other major events. Germany is currently weighing whether it can continue as the host of the men's world championship next year. Frank H. Lutz, the chief executive of the German hockey federation, is traveling to Berlin this week to meet with political figures. He is discussing the extra costs associated with Russian participation and potential security concerns that could impact the event.

Sponsorship issues are also surfacing as a result of the reinstatement. AJ Products, a Swedish furniture company that has sponsored the men's world championship since 1989, plans to request that its logo not be displayed at the upcoming tournament. Enock Johansson, the company's chief executive, told broadcaster TV4 that the decision was one they regretted but believed was correct. The company's logo is typically visible on referees' uniforms and the rink boards.

The Czech Republic is preparing to host the women's under-18 world championship in January. A spokesperson for Czech President Petr Pavel said last week that the president favors banning the participation of athletes competing under Russian and Belarusian flags. This political alignment suggests that the hesitation to play Russia may extend beyond the senior men's and women's teams to junior and youth categories as well.