IIHF ends blanket ban on Russian hockey teams, eligibility now to be decided on case-by-case basis

The International Ice Hockey Federation continued its easing of sanctions on Russian and Belarusian national and club teams. The two countries have seen their teams banned from IIHF competitions for the last four years following Russia’s illegal military invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

IIHF ends blanket ban on Russian hockey teams, eligibility now to be decided on case-by-case basis. The International Ice Hockey Federation continued its easing of sanctions on Russian and Belarusian national and club teams. The two countries have seen their teams banned from IIHF competitions for the last four years following Russia’s illegal military invasion of Ukraine in 2022. In an announcement on Friday, the governing body said it has “re-analyzed the situation” and will determine the status of Russian teams’ participation on an event-by-event basis for the 2026-27 season. The news comes after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) formally recommended earlier this month that any restrictions on Belarusian athletes’ participation, including teams, be lifted. Friday’s IIHF statement reads as follows: On January 21, 2026, the IIHF...