Sweden says it won’t play Russia at world juniors as Norway faces losing spot
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The Swedish Ice Hockey Association says it will refuse to play Russia if the teams meet at the world juniors, after being informed of a plan from the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) to include Russia that could cost Norway its place in the Alberta tournament.
Norway’s hockey federation said Sunday the IIHF had informed it that Russia would be added to the men’s under-20 tournament in Edmonton and Red Deer next month at Norway’s expense.
The development follows last month’s Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling that the IIHF must reinstate Russia in international hockey, after Russia and Belarus were barred from international competition in 2022 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The Swedish association told The Canadian Press on Monday it sympathized with Norway, which qualified for the tournament but now risks losing its place, and called the situation unfair.
Sweden was among several European countries to oppose Russia’s return. The association said Russian national teams should not participate in international hockey as long as the war against Ukraine continues.
Prime Minister Mark Carney said last week Russian and Belarusian athletes could not compete in Canada for their countries while the war continues. The government’s Nov. 3 statement allows individual athletes to compete as neutrals but does not clarify whether that could extend to a Russian team at the world juniors, which opens Dec. 26.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 9, 2026.