Russia ice hockey return IIHF Latvia boycott debate, Digi Mart USA News: Swiss Ice Hockey has taken a neutral stance on the question of Russia’s return to international competition, six days after a ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), according to a report by SRF. The Swiss federation has declined to join other nations that have called for a boycott, and its president, Marc Lüthi, said it would wait and hold the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) responsible.
Latvia has taken a far more critical position. Goaltending legend Arturs Irbe, 59, a former NHL goalkeeper who is part of the Latvian national team staff, said the IIHF’s justification for excluding Russian teams was very weak and did not address the underlying concerns.
He made the comments at the Deutschland Cup in Düsseldorf.
The CAS also pointed to a lack of evidence presented by the IIHF. Irbe said the reasons were likely more diplomatic in nature than a genuine justification for why Russian teams may not take part.
He expressed hope that the IIHF would strengthen its legal position and set out its reasoning again, stressing that the issue concerns aggression and the bloodshed of innocent people in Ukraine, not only safety.
Latvia is among the countries that have threatened to boycott world championships should Russia be allowed to participate. Numerous sponsors have also said they would take consequences in that case.
A decision by the IIHF under its new president, Franz Reindl, on how to proceed is awaited with great interest. The German Ice Hockey Federation (DEB) is even considering giving up its role as host of the 2027 World Championship should Russia return.
