July 30 (Reuters) - Russia and Belarus will remain excluded from most major international ice hockey tournaments next season, the sport's world governing body said on Thursday, citing «ongoing safety, security and sporting integrity concerns».
The decision means Russia's teams will not compete in IIHF events during the 2026-27 season, including the men's World Championship, World Junior Championship and the men's and women's Under-18 World Championships.
Belarus also remain barred from the World Junior Championship, although the IIHF had previously announced plans to reintegrate the country in some lower-level competitions, including the men's and women's under-18 events and Women's Division IV World Championship.
«In line with the event-by-event approach established, the eligibility of Russia at the IIHF Women's World Championship 2027 will be reviewed separately by the IIHF Council in November 2026, taking into account the circumstances and risk assessment applicable at that time,» the governing body said in a statement.
Russia and Belarus have been excluded from IIHF competitions since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, with Belarus sanctioned for its support of Moscow's war effort.
The IIHF in May said it would assess Russia's participation in the 2026-27 season on an event-by-event basis.
Thursday's announcement follows a January ruling barring Russia's teams from international competitions at all levels, which was later annulled after an appeal by the Russian Ice Hockey Federation.
The continued suspension means Russian players, including those competing in the NHL, are still unable to represent their country in IIHF tournaments. Russia was also excluded from this year's Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics.
The decision contrasts with a recent easing of restrictions by the International Olympic Committee, which provisionally lifted its ban on the Russian Olympic Committee earlier this month, a move seen as a step towards Russia's gradual return to the Olympic movement ahead of the Los Angeles 2028 Games.
The IOC's move followed its December recommendation that international federations readmit Russian and Belarusian athletes under the age of 23, signalling a broader shift towards reintegration in some sports.
Russia has won five International Ice Hockey Federation World Championship titles as an independent nation. The next edition of the Men's World Championship will be hosted in Germany in May. (Reporting by Karan Prashant Saxena in Bengaluru; Editing by Ken Ferris)
