Russia wins landmark CAS case against international ice hockey federation

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has delivered an unprecedented shock to the sporting world by ordering the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) to admit Russian national teams to all competitions in the 2026/27 season. International Ice Hockey Federation loses court battle against Russia Although the Russian Ice Hockey Federation (RIHF) had been pursuing its legal battle methodically, few had predicted such an unequivocal victory in a sport so dear to Russians. Organisationally, international ice hockey is dominated by a relatively small club of six or seven influential countries with anti-Russian leanings. Nevertheless, CAS judges unanimously ruled that the IIHF had failed to provide sufficient evidence of security threats — the main argument the federation had once again used to justify extending the ban. Lawyers representing the Russian side demanded proof of such threats: official warnings from tournament organisers, intelligence reports indicating that unrest was being planned, or formal visa refusals. The IIHF had no such documents. Its position rested on general statements and the political context surrounding Ukraine. CAS reasonably ruled that, in the absence of documented security threats, depriving athletes of the right to compete after the International Olympic Committee had issued positive recommendations was unlawful. This was all the more significant given that the IIHF statutes prohibit restricting teams' participation on the basis of nationality.