Canada bars Russia from World Juniors; Nordic federations refuse to play Russia

sportsNov 3, 2026282,121

Prime Minister Mark Carney announced in Antigua that Canada will refuse visas to Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials for the World Junior Hockey Championship in Alberta while Russia’s war in Ukraine continues. The federal government said it will use immigration powers to prevent teams from entering Canada to compete under national symbols, though athletes cleared to compete as neutrals could be assessed individually. Carney quoted, “While Russia and Belorussia are supporting this illegal, unjustified, horrific war in Ukraine, as long as that’s going on, there will be none of those athletes competing for their countries in Canada.” The move comes after the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled that Russia must be reinstated to international hockey competition starting with the world juniors; Russian sports minister Mikhail Degtyarev said on Oct. 30 the CAS ruling was final and Russia would work with the IIHF to return. Several European federations including Sweden, Finland, Czechia and Latvia have said their teams will refuse to face Russia, and Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha publicly thanked those federations and urged hosts to deny visas. The tournament begins Dec. 26 in Edmonton and Red Deer, leaving a likely standoff between Canada’s immigration ban and the CAS decision as the immediate consequence for participation and scheduling at the World Juniors.

Scott Robertson

@sarobertson.bsky.social

Mark Carney: "Russia and Belarus are supporting this illegal and unjustified horrific war in Ukraine, as long as that's going on, there will be none of those athletes competing for their countries in Canada. So if you're asking specifically about the World Juniors, the Russians will not be there."

10383h ago

vineyardstone.bsky.social26

Good for him. He’s one of the only moral voices in the world today. Canadians are lucky to have him.

Mark McCondach17

Dani in AB will be pissed.

Visible Cricket 🇨🇦🇮🇪🛶🥾🎿🥌17

Good step. Now apply that energy to Israel

🍁Justin Case15

Good decision. Make Russia the pariah that it is. Loved how Carney called Belarus, Belarussia.

🇨🇦 👊🇨🇦11

Excellent! Anything else would be a travesty.

Spudislander45 🇨🇦❤️🌎💪🫡7

Good! I fully support this. There is no reward for a nation that breaks international laws and kills civilians in an illegal war in Ukraine. It isn’t business as usual anymore

Quoting this

Guy Gavriel Kay65

I actually expected this, and am very happy to hear it.

Taylor Noakes19

Is the Israeli team allowed to play? Asking for a friend

Rita Simone6

Not if they don't get visas. Pretty sure Alberta plays no role in issuing of visas. bsky.app/profile/saro...

TT 🇨🇦4

Love it. No see-sawing BS, no kicking the can down the road, no "we're in diplomatic discussions."

Alex Goatcher3

Good. Glad Carney is doing this. Take note of anyone upset about this. They're either a Russian bot or a shithead.

Jennifer S2

I can has more of this PM on climate change plz?

Gnedreams 🇨🇦 We stand with Zelenskyy 🇺🇦2

We live in the greatest country 🇨🇦 thank you @mark-carney.bsky.social

Kelly2

I LOVE my country’s leader. 🇨🇦🫶🇨🇦

Colin Toffelmire2

Hey, the PM read my post!

Tiffany⸆⸉2

Canada (politely) gives Russian and Belarusian athletes the middle finger. Hell yes!

JeffTrnka

@jefftrnka.bsky.social

Carney says Russia will not be allowed to compete at world juniors in Alberta. toronto.citynews.ca/2026/11/03/b...

3313h ago

Claude the Irregular Dragon (TM)4

I think that makes 5 countries now! Awesome and well done Canada!

MeganCArmstrong🇨🇦4

Good. Don’t let Smith override decency. We need to support Ukraine

flyflicker.bsky.social1

Russia will be invited to play in NYC and, in the final, Team Russia will play Team Russia to a 1-1 tie. Exciting.

not Burt Reynolds1

Maple Dani press conference in 3.2.1.

TinkieGurl 🇨🇦 #ForeverCanadian1

Smith won't take this lying down 🎇 incoming.

TSN

@tsnofficial.bsky.social

Prime Minister Mark Carney announces that Russia will not be allowed to compete at this year's #WorldJuniors, as long as its invasion of Ukraine persists. (Per Chris Johnston)

1283h ago

Laura Kowalski Linden5

This is correct hockey procedure.

Buck Fuchs3

Nice. The CAS can go a pound sand.

Travis 🇨🇦2

The right call. As it should be

More comment than question rly1

This is the correct decision

Quoting this

𝔗𝔥𝔢 ℜ𝔬𝔰𝔢 𝔊𝔞𝔯𝔡𝔢𝔫3

Good, no Russian teams should be permitted in Canada as long as they are invaders

Doug Johnson 🇨🇦

@smikooman.bsky.social

Hurrah! Prime Minister (and goalie) Mark Carney decisively deals with the immoral CAS decision: russia will not be welcome in Canada to compete in the 2027 IIHF World Junior Championship in Alberta. Minister @avankoeverden.bsky.social please put my related letter on hold! #StandWithUkraine 🇺🇦🇨🇦🏒

1053h ago

🇨🇦 👊🇨🇦

@sorry-iamcanadian.bsky.social

PM Carney confirms, there will be no Russians playing in the 2027 IIHF World Junior Championship (Dec 26, 2026 – Jan 5, 2027). 👏

843h ago

Joe Public 🍁✌️❤️ 🇺🇦 🇵🇸 🇪🇺 🇺🇳3

Doing what's right, is not always doing what's easy. I fully support our PM's decision.

Sven-Erik Volberg

@volberg.bsky.social

We got Canada. The hockey part of the tournament is over. Good guys won www.ctvnews.ca/sports/artic...

753h ago

Andrew 🇨🇦🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️2

Proud that my government has taken this stance and happy that they didn’t dally about the decision or about announcing it.

/r/Habs

@habsonreddit.bsky.social

Canadian PM Mark Carney 🇨🇦 announces that Russia 🇷🇺 will not be permitted to compete at the upcoming 2027 World Junior Championship in Alberta.

793h ago

T-Fish🇨🇦🍁9

FUUUUUCK YES!!!! That’s my PM. So happy this was nipped in the bud immediately.

HabsGirl 🇨🇦6

Thank you PM Carney 👏

Quoting this

Denis Fournier 🥁🏒🇨🇦 Habs fan16

I truly love this Premier

Kate Bueckert

@katebueckert.bsky.social

“This measure is not directed at the Russian and Belarusian people … it is intended to prevent the governments of Russia and Belarus from using international sporting events hosted in Canada as platforms for state representation, political legitimacy and propaganda.” www.cbc.ca/sports/hocke...

503h ago

Cheryl C 🇨🇦

@carleysue.bsky.social

Carney, speaking in Antigua at the Commonwealth Summit, said Russian and Belarusian athletes will not be permitted to represent their countries in Canada as long as the war in Ukraine continues. www.ctvnews.ca/sports/artic...

293h ago

Gord Miller 🇨🇦 🇺🇦

@gmillertsn.bsky.social

Hockey Canada’s statement on the announcement that visas will not be issued for Russians to compete in the World Junior Championship. Why not say something sooner? HC is also bound by the CAS decision, an anti-Russia statement by a tournament host country could be seen as acting in bad faith.

312h ago

Ken Wood part owner of 🇨🇦

@madhat59kenwood.bsky.social

Yes the PM was just clear. Russia & Belarusia will not be allowed to compete in the world juniors. Great decision #cdnpoli #worldjuniors #IIHF @hockeycanada.bsky.social

253h ago

Patrick Johnston 🇨🇦 🇺🇦

@risingaction.bsky.social

Well Carney came out swinging rhis afternoon and Hockey Canada is clearly breathing a big sigh of relief … because they were clearly playing cautious earlier in the day and hadn’t joined the Finland-led boycott theprovince.com/sports/hocke...

222h ago

dm3737.bsky.social2

Hockey Canada not taking the easy win? Never.

Dan Beaton 🇺🇦 🇪🇺1

I’m on Team Carney 🇨🇦 on this one. Vile egregious Butcher-Rapist Putin and Russia simply can’t be countenanced in any way.

Quoting this

(insert indycar pun)5

Hockey Canada is an impressively shit organization, but good on Carney for this.

Jock Cartier2

Hockey Canada relieved someone has a backbone… lord knows they don’t

Yonette Joseph

@sugarcane99.bsky.social

(Reuters) - ⁠Canada will ‌not let skaters from ⁠Russia or Belarus take ‌part in the world junior ice hockey championships that are due to start next ‌month ‌in ‌the ‌province ⁠of Alberta, Prime Minister ⁠Mark Carney ‌told ⁠reporters ⁠on ⁠Tuesday.

233h ago

Andreas 🇨🇦 Fella Vote 💙 #AbolishICE, #SlavaUkraini

@andreasor.bsky.social

Several European hockey federations, including Sweden, Finland, Czechia and Latvia, have said their teams will refuse to face Russia... And now Canada. www.ctvnews.ca/sports/artic... #Russia is a terrorist state!!

152h ago

Fat Apollo, baby!

@fatapollo.myatproto.social

Canada blocking you from taking part in the World Juniors Hockey is like the pope excommunicating you.

143h ago

3 sources

cp24.comPM Carney says Russian hockey players will not be allowed to compete at World Juniors vancouver.citynews.caCarney says Russia will not be allowed to compete at world juniors in Alberta toronto.citynews.caCarney says Russia will not be allowed to compete at world juniors in Alberta

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Canada bars Russia from World Juniors; Nordic federations refuse to play Russia

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