Russian squad's Ostrava trip off as Czechia upholds national-team visa bar

Czechia will not grant visas to Russian players seeking to compete at the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) Under-18 Women's World Championship in Ostrava, Prime Minister Andrej Babis announced after a cabinet meeting on Monday. The tournament is set to run from Jan. 8-16, and the decision follows a ruling that cleared Russia to return to IIHF competition.

Key facts

• Czechia will not issue visas to the Russian women's U-18 team for the Ostrava tournament, Prime Minister Andrej Babis said on Monday.
• A Czech government regulation from 2023 prohibiting visas for Russian national teams remains in force.
• The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled on Friday that the Russian Ice Hockey Federation can immediately take part in IIHF tournaments.
• The IIHF U-18 Women's World Championship takes place in Ostrava from Jan. 8-16.
• If Russia plays at the event, Germany, the lowest-ranked team, would be removed to make way.

Why is Czechia refusing the visas?

Babis pointed to the ongoing war in Ukraine as the main reason for keeping Russia out of the event. "It doesn't make sense to me as long as the war in Ukraine continues," he said, adding that allowing the team to play would suggest that war and killing are normal, something he said the country rejects.

The prime minister said he supports keeping politics out of sport, but argued that the CAS decision itself brings politics into play.

What rule covers the decision?

Interior Minister Lubomír Metnar said the government regulation adopted in 2023, which prohibits granting visas to Russian national teams, is still in force and will not change regardless of the CAS verdict. The source does not state whether this regulation affects individual Russian travellers or only national teams.

What triggered the dispute?

The CAS ruled on Friday that the Russian Ice Hockey Federation can immediately participate in IIHF tournaments, ending a ban introduced after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Russia's first potential return to IIHF competition is the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta, which begins on Dec. 26. Hockey Canada said last week that it was disappointed with the ruling and would be in close contact with the IIHF on how to proceed.

Which other countries are responding?

The city of Turku in Finland announced on Monday that it will not host the 2028 IIHF World Junior Championship if Russia is allowed to play. The hockey federations of Czechia, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Latvia have said they will refuse to play Russia in any international games.

What this means for travellers

The visa decision applies to the Russian national team seeking to enter Czechia for the Ostrava tournament. Travellers planning trips to Czechia should note that the source describes only the rule on visas for Russian national teams and gives no details on entry procedures for other visitors.

What happens next is not yet clear: the source gives no further dates beyond the Ostrava tournament dates and the Dec. 26 start of the World Juniors.