Sweden and Norway announce boycott of Russian teams at ice hockey world championships

Sweden and Norway said they will not face Russian teams in upcoming international ice-hockey championships, adding to Finland's earlier pledge to boycott such games. The decisions come after the Court of Arbitration for Sport ordered the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) to reinstate Russian squads, starting with the World Junior tournament in Canada in late December.

The Swedish Ice Hockey Federation announced that its board voted to exclude Russia from future world championship matches, a reversal from its earlier stance following the arbitration ruling. Federation head Anders Larsson said, "The Three Crowns will not play Russia in coming world championship tournaments."

Norway's Ice Hockey Association issued a similar statement, citing the ongoing war in Ukraine and concerns for player safety and mental health as reasons to keep Russia out of all international championships while the conflict continues.

Finland, the defending men's world champion, and Norway, the recent bronze-medal winner, are now among at least three nations refusing to compete against Russia. Reports suggest Latvia may also consider a boycott.

Sponsorship pressure is mounting. Finnish tire maker Nokian Tyres said it will withdraw its world-championship sponsorship if Russia participates, with senior vice president Tiina Frazer stating that continuing the partnership would conflict with the company's values. Swedish furniture company AJ Products similarly indicated it would request removal of its logo from tournament materials should Russia play.

Other stakeholders have voiced concerns: the Finnish city of Turku said it would not co-host next year’s World Junior tournament if Russia is included, and the Czech government may block Russian players from the women’s under-18 championship in January. The women's world championship in Denmark proceeds without Russian involvement.

The IIHF has not responded to requests for comment on the boycotts.