International Ice Hockey Federation suspends Russia and Belarus for 2024/25 season
13 February 2024 12:57
The International Ice Hockey Federation has extended the suspensions of Russia and Belarus for the 2024/25 season. This is stated on the IIHF website, according to 
During one of its regularly scheduled meetings, the IIHF Council reviewed the current security risks associated with the resumption of the participation of the national and club teams of Russia and Belarus in IIHF competitions.
“Based on a thorough analysis, the IIHF Council has concluded that it is not yet safe for the teams of Russia and Belarus to return to IIHF competitions. Thus, Russia and Belarus will not participate in the IIHF Championship in the 2024/2025 season. This decision will also apply to the Belarusian team for the final Olympic qualifying round to be held in August 2024,”
– the statement said.
The next review of this decision will take place no earlier than in a year.
Suspension of Russia and Belarus from international sport
on 28 February 2022, the IIHF Council suspended all clubs and national teams of Russia and Belarus in connection with the start of a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine.
In March last year, the IIHF decided to extend the suspension of national teams and clubs from Russia and Belarus for the 2023/24 season.
It should be noted that the Belarusian national team could theoretically become a rival of the Ukrainian national team in the decisive qualification for the 2026 Olympics.
According to the recommendations of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the national teams of Russia and Belarus remain suspended from most sports. Even though “neutral” Russians and Belarusians are allowed to participate in individual events at the 2024 Olympics, they are banned from team tournaments.
At the end of January 2023, the president of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine, Vadym Hutzeit, expressed the possibility of boycotting the Olympic Games if Russian and Belarusian athletes were allowed to participate. Also, on 29 January of the same year, President Zelenskyy sent a letter to the President of France expressing outrage at the possible use of the 2024 Olympics to propagate Russia’s aggression.
Earlier, the Latvian Saeima banned national teams from playing against Russia and Belarus.
