The AfD and Left Party have urged respect for a court ruling reinstating Russian national teams despite European boycott threats<\/p>\n
Russia\u2019s return to international hockey would mark a \u201creturn to normality,\u201d a senior Alternative for Germany (AfD) lawmaker has said, as his party and the Left Party backed Russian participation in the 2027 Ice Hockey World Championship despite European boycott threats. \u00a0
\nThe statements follow an October 30 ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which overturned Russia\u2019s exclusion from International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) competitions. The German government and hockey federation remain opposed to Russian participation, citing security, political and economic concerns. \u00a0
\nThe right-wing AfD and the Left Party have urged Berlin to respect the CAS ruling, which restored Russian national teams\u2019 right to compete internationally. \u00a0
\n\u201cWe see this as a return to normality. Of course, Russian athletes should also be issued visas,\u201d Jorn Konig, the AfD parliamentary group\u2019s sports spokesman, told ZDFheute. \u00a0<\/p>\n
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Russian and Belarusian athletes were barred from numerous international competitions following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022. Since then, criticism of the bans as politically motivated and discriminatory has grown, with a number of sports federations easing restrictions. \u00a0
\nKonig, who has opposed the Ukraine conflict, accused sporting authorities of double standards, noting that the US had never been excluded from international competitions despite waging wars he described as violations of international law. \u00a0
\nThe AfD won September\u2019s regional election in Saxony-Anhalt, defeating Chancellor Friedrich Merz\u2019s CDU. \u00a0
\nChristian Gorke, the Left Party\u2019s sports spokesman, also urged respect for the CAS ruling, saying Germany could no longer ignore the \u201cregrettable reality\u201d of Russia\u2019s return. \u00a0
\nThe championship is scheduled for May 13-30, 2027, in Dusseldorf and Mannheim. The IIHF has expressed \u201cdisappointment\u201d with the ruling but pledged to comply. \u00a0
\nThe German Ice Hockey Federation (DEB) opposes Russia\u2019s return, with its chairman, Frank Lutz, warning that the ruling \u201cfundamentally changes the situation,\u201d citing political, economic and security concerns. \u00a0
\nDays earlier, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Latvia, and the Czech Republic announced boycotts of matches against Russia, while Austria indicated it would follow suit. \u00a0
\nThe boycott threats have cast doubt on Germany\u2019s ability to host the tournament. Berlin is consulting hockey officials, warning that the event could become impossible to organize for sporting and economic reasons. \u00a0<\/p>\n
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Ice hockey federation fumes after being ordered to readmit Russians<\/p>\n
Russian officials have condemned the politicization of sport, arguing that athletes should not be punished over geopolitical disputes. Sports Minister and Olympic Committee chief Mikhail Degtyarev branded the threats \u201cinfantile\u201d and warned that countries pressuring the IIHF could face legal action or lose hosting rights. \u00a0
\nKremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov suggested moving the championship elsewhere if Germany refuses to host it, noting that \u201cthere are plenty of countries\u201d willing to stage the tournament. \u00a0
\nEarlier this year, the International Olympic Committee provisionally lifted its suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee, while several federations have readmitted Russian athletes, sometimes under their national flag and anthem. \u00a0
\nPresident Vladimir Putin has welcomed the trend, calling for a return to the principles of international sport, including \u201cequality, justice, mutual respect and the unifying power of sport.\u201d \u00a0
\nMeanwhile, Canada announced on Wednesday that Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials would be barred from December\u2019s World Junior Ice Hockey Championship, even with valid visas.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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