Russia won’t play in 2023 World Cup even if it ends war tomorrow – IIHF

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The International Ice Hockey Federation says the return to the big sport for the aggressor nation will be long and painful.

Russia and Belarus will remain excluded from many sports for a long time. One of them is hockey, in which the Russians had significant success before the war. However, now it will be very difficult for them to get back what they lost.

According to the board member of the International Ice Hockey Federation and Secretary General of the 2023 World Championship, Heikki Hietanen, the “red car” will not be allowed to compete even though the war is about to end. After all, all hockey divisions are busy.

“Even if the war ends tomorrow, the previously declared teams will play in the 2023 World Cup. In this case, other teams have nothing to do with the matches. The decisions of the International Ice Hockey Federation have been taken, and there there is no reason to change them.

And, unfortunately, it doesn’t look like the war will end anytime soon. The lower divisions of the 2023 World Cup are also full, there are no extra places. Time will tell when a situation may arise in the world where Russia and Belarus may return,” Iltalehti told Hietanen.

Recall, earlier it became known that the IBU extended the disqualification of Russian and Belarusian biathletes.

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Source: korrespondent

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