Russia’s hockey comeback a ‘return to normality’ – German opposition

Russia’s return to international hockey would mark a “return to normality,” a senior Alternative for Germany (AfD) lawmaker has said, as his party and the Left Party backed Russian participation in the 2027 Ice Hockey World Championship despite European boycott threats.

The statements follow an October 30 ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which overturned Russia’s exclusion from International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) competitions. The German government and hockey federation remain opposed to Russian participation, citing security, political and economic concerns.

The right-wing AfD and the Left Party have urged Berlin to respect the CAS ruling, which restored Russian national teams’ right to compete internationally.

“We see this as a return to normality. Of course, Russian athletes should also be issued visas,” Jorn Konig, the AfD parliamentary group’s sports spokesman, told ZDFheute.

Konig, who has opposed the Ukraine conflict, accused sporting authorities of double standards, noting that the US had never been excluded from international competitions despite waging wars he described as violations of international law.

The AfD won September’s regional election in Saxony-Anhalt, defeating Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s CDU.

Christian Gorke, the Left Party’s sports spokesman, also urged respect for the CAS ruling, saying Germany could no longer ignore the “regrettable reality” of Russia’s return.

The championship is scheduled for May 13-30, 2027, in Dusseldorf and Mannheim. The IIHF has expressed “disappointment” with the ruling but pledged to comply.

The German Ice Hockey Federation (DEB) opposes Russia’s return, with its chairman, Frank Lutz, warning that the ruling “fundamentally changes the situation,” citing political, economic and security concerns.

Days earlier, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Latvia, and the Czech Republic announced boycotts of matches against Russia, while Austria indicated it would follow suit.

The boycott threats have cast doubt on Germany’s ability to host the tournament. Berlin is consulting hockey officials, warning that the event could become impossible to organize for sporting and economic reasons.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov suggested moving the championship elsewhere if Germany refuses to host it, noting that “there are plenty of countries” willing to stage the tournament.

Earlier this year, the International Olympic Committee provisionally lifted its suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee, while several federations have readmitted Russian athletes, sometimes under their national flag and anthem.

President Vladimir Putin has welcomed the trend, calling for a return to the principles of international sport, including “equality, justice, mutual respect and the unifying power of sport.”

Meanwhile, Canada announced on Wednesday that Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials would be barred from December’s World Junior Ice Hockey Championship, even with valid visas.