Russia and Belarus were not allowed to participate in the World Ice Hockey Championship. IIHF has made a new decision because of Ukraine

The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) has extended the suspension of the national teams of Russia and Belarus for the next season, 2023/24. On March 22, at its regular meeting, the IIHF Council reviewed the current security risks associated with the return of club and national representatives of Belarus and Russia to competitions under the auspices of the IIHF.

"Based on a detailed risk assessment conducted by a company that specialises in this area, the IIHF Council has determined that it is currently unsafe to include the national teams of Russia and Belarus in IIHF competitions in the new season," the Federation said in a press release.

Thus, the IIHF will hold the 2024 World Championship without the national teams of Russia and Belarus. The World Championship is scheduled for the spring of 2024 in the Czech cities of Prague and Ostrava.

It will be recalled that the Russian and Belarusian national teams were excluded from the 2023 World Cup.

The World Cup was to be held in St. Petersburg from 5 to 21 May 2023, but after Russia's full-scale invasion began, the IIHF moved the World Cup to Finland and Latvia, and the Russian and Belarusian national teams were suspended from all international competitions.

It should be noted that the honorary president of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), René Fasel, who lobbied for the return of Russia, received Russian citizenship on February 14 and also became a co-owner of a Russian premium apple producer in Krasnodar Krai.

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