IIHF head Tardif allowed the Russian junior team to return to tournaments
The head of the International Hockey Federation (IIHF), Luc Tardif, spoke about the possible admission of the Russian junior team to tournaments under the auspices of the organization. Sport Express reports this.
He emphasized that there is no need to draw parallels with the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), which allowed the Russian national team, made up of players under 17, to participate in the tournament. “Moreover, we do not have tournaments where teams under 17 years of age would participate. Under 18 teams? The decision for the 2023/24 season has already been made. This is only possible in the 2024/2025 season, if there are appropriate conditions for this,” Tardif said.
The IIHF suspended the Russian and Belarusian national teams from participating in competitions under its auspices in February 2022. Russia was also deprived of the right to host the 2023 World Cup and the World Youth Championship.
Earlier, the executive committee of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) proposed returning Russian national teams among players under 17 years of age to international tournaments. It was noted that the proposal includes admission in a neutral status, that is, athletes may receive the right to compete without the flag and anthem. After this, a number of countries announced a boycott of matches with Russian teams.
Source: Lenta
Kingston is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his in-depth and engaging writing on sports. He currently works as a writer at 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the sports industry.
