Finland Draws Red Line: No Hockey Against Russia During War
Hietanen told the sports division of Finland’s public broadcaster that the association will do everything in its power to keep Russia out of international tournaments, following a fresh ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
“We have aligned our own position so that Finland will not play against Russia,” Hietanen said in a statement issued by the association.
“Our line is that we will not play against Russia as long as the war of aggression against Ukraine continues,” he added.
The CAS ruled Friday that the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) must let Russia return to international competition immediately.
Finland has been working to build a shared stance with other Nordic countries and leading hockey nations in Central Europe, Hietanen said, aiming to bring as many countries on board as possible.
“Of course, it will be impossible to organize the games if so many countries boycott by not playing against Russia,” he said.
Hietanen declined to name the countries involved. Their hockey associations are still debating the matter internally, he said, and will announce their positions on their own.
Finland’s sports minister, Mika Poutala, welcomed the stance and said he expects Russia will not take part in next spring’s world championship in Germany.
Emma Terho, a member of the Executive Board of the European Olympic Committees (EOC), appeared alongside Poutala on a Finnish broadcaster’s A-Studio program. She likewise called Finland’s position firm and urged other countries to join the effort.
The stance marks a shift. Right after the CAS ruling, Hietanen had called the decision seemingly incomprehensible but said Finland would not boycott the world championship and would abide by rulings from the international sports court and the IIHF.
According to a Finnish newspaper, those first remarks stirred unease inside the Finnish Ice Hockey Association, since its board had not yet settled on how Finland would respond if Russia were cleared to compete.
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