Russia wins legal bid to come in from the cold in international ice hockey

Russia’s controversial bid to be allowed back into global sport has made further inroads after it won a legal battle with the International Ice Hockey Federation. The Court of Arbitration for Sport announced today that it has upheld an appeal from the Russian Ice Hockey Federation against its ban from international competitions on safety and security grounds. As a result the IIHF has been ordered to allow Russia to take part in next year’s men’s and women’s World Championships in Germany and Canada respectively as well as junior versions due to take place in the next six months. It comes after the International Olympic Committee paved the way for a Russian team to return at the LA 2028 Games because it dialled back activities in territories covered by the Ukrainian Olympic Committee. Cas said its three-man panel “found that the IIHF arguments citing safety, security and other concerns were not supported by sufficient evidence”.  It added: “They noted that the IIHF Discip