France withdraws para ice hockey team from World Championship over Russian participation, Digi Mart USA News (Mexico): France will not send its para ice hockey team to the upcoming World Championship, citing the announced presence of a Russian national team, the French Ice Hockey Federation (FFHG) announced Thursday.
In a statement, the FFHG said its board of directors unanimously decided to withdraw the French para ice hockey team from the Group C World Championship, the third world division, organized by World Para Ice Hockey (WPIH) in Mexico from December 8 to 13, 2026.
The decision comes as the world of ice hockey is in turmoil after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ordered Russia’s reinstatement to world hockey championships in all categories starting this season.
As part of the para hockey event, France was scheduled to face Russia on December 10. The federation said that, under the current circumstances, the conditions were not in place to guarantee the proper running of the competition.
Since the decision was announced, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and the Czech Republic have said they intend to boycott matches against Russia at the upcoming world championships for able-bodied players organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). In Canada, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced he would not allow Russia to take part in the World Junior Championship scheduled in a few weeks.
The French federation said it wished to reaffirm its full support and solidarity with Ukraine, and considered that the CAS decision does not sufficiently take into account the positions expressed by several participating countries.
