Russia, Belarus banned from 2023 ice hockey championship

Moscow, May 27 (EFE).- Russia will be excluded from the 2023 Ice Hockey World Championship, the sport’s global federation (IIHF) said Friday.

The ban on Russian and Belarusian participation in the competition is in force for the current championship taking place in Tampere, Finland, and will be extended until at least next year.

The move came in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and Belarus’ support for the military operation.

The IIHF also said that St. Petersburg will no longer host the 2023 competition, which will instead be split between Tampere and Riga.

Russia is a heavyweight in the world of ice hockey and has won the world championship five times since the end of the Soviet Union. EFE

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