Kyiv:Ukraine's foreign minister has strongly criticized the Court of Arbitration for Sport's (CAS) recent decision to permit Russian ice hockey teams to rejoin world championships, labeling it as 'unacceptable.'
According to Anadolu Agency – English, Andrii Sybiha, Ukraine's foreign minister, expressed his discontent on the US social media platform X, stating that the CAS decision is akin to 'staining the ice with Ukrainian blood.' He emphasized that Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities are ongoing and argued that the decision would endow Moscow with the international legitimacy it desires.
Sybiha urged the global sporting community and Ukraine's allies to oppose the reinstatement of Russian teams in international competitions. He insisted that there should be 'no business as usual' while the conflict persists, and called on governments to deny entry to Russian players. He underscored that Russia's actions should have consequences in international sports, and described the decision as 'shameful' and called for its reversal.
The CAS ruling, announced on Friday, overturned a previous ban on Russian teams, arguing that the reasons provided by the sport's global governing body, including 'safety, security, and other concerns,' lacked sufficient evidence. This ruling came after the Russian Ice Hockey Federation appealed against the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), which had barred Russian teams following the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war in 2022.
In July, the IIHF extended the restrictions through the 2026-27 season, citing safety concerns for competition participants. Despite respecting the CAS's authority and agreeing to comply with its ruling, the IIHF maintained that the concerns that led to the suspension were still valid and necessary for protecting participants and preserving the integrity of its competitions.