IIHF extend suspension of Russian, Belarusian national hockey teams from int'l competitions

MOSCOW. March 22 (Interfax) - The Council of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) has extended sanctions imposed on the national teams of Russia and Belarus, the IIHF said in a statement.

"Based on a detailed risk assessment from a renowned company that specializes in assessing risks due to various global challenges, the IIHF Council determined that it is not yet safe to reincorporate the Russian and Belarusian teams back into IIHF competitions, and that it will not be safe for the upcoming 2023-2024 IIHF Championship season," the statement said.

As a result, the national teams of Russia and Belarus will miss the second season in a row and, in particular, will not complete in the World Championship again.

Sanctions were imposed on the Russian and Belarusian national teams in February 2022 due to the situation in Ukraine after the International Olympic Committee had recommended doing so.