IIHF to decide Russian hockey participation on event-by-event basis after ban review

The International Ice Hockey Federation has reversed its decision to ban Russian ‌national and club teams from its 2026-27 competitions and will now ​review the country's eligibility ​on an event-by-event basis, the governing body announced ​on Friday.

Russia has ⁠been banned ⁠from ‌IIHF competitions, including the world championships, since 2022 following the nation's invasion of ⁠Ukraine.

The IIHF council re-analyzed Russia's reintegration in January but ‌maintained the ban based on safety and security concerns. The Russian Ice Hockey Federation ​appealed the council's decision to ⁠the IIHF disciplinary board, which ⁠annulled the council's decision this ⁠week.

Russia ​will not automatically be reintegrated and ​the ⁠country's eligibility in future competitions will be reviewed on an event-by-event basis.