In brief
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova condemned Canada’s refusal to issue visas to Russian junior hockey players, claiming the move is politically driven and would damage the World Championship held in Edmonton and Red Deer. Zakharova’s remarks highlight a clash between sports neutrality and diplomatic tensions, and note Canadian ministers’ support for the Prime Minister’s stance.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova criticized Canada for denying visas to Russian junior hockey players, saying the move would hurt the upcoming World Championship in Edmonton and Red Deer, scheduled to run from Dec. 26, 2026 to Jan. 5, 2027.
Zakharova said Canada’s decision was politically motivated and directly harmed not only the championship being held in its own country but also hockey worldwide.
With its politically motivated decision, the Canadian government is directly harming not only the World Championship being held in its country but also hockey worldwide.
Maria Zakharova said the Canadian government’s choice was a direct blow to the sport’s integrity.
The diplomat pointed out that Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney had announced that, despite a Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling requiring the International Ice Hockey Federation to allow Russian national teams to participate in the 2027 World Championships, his government would deny visas to players on Russia’s national junior team.
Because of the denial, the Russian junior team cannot participate in the tournament that will run from Dec. 26, 2026 through Jan. 5, 2027 in Edmonton and Red Deer.
Zakharova also warned that Carney was trying to keep out a team that has won more medals at the World Junior Championships than any other in history—13 gold, 13 silver and 11 bronze medals.
She added that whether such actions would benefit the championship’s entertainment value and appeal to spectators was not a rhetorical question.
Following the decision, three Canadian ministers responsible for foreign affairs, immigration, and sports issued a joint statement supporting the prime minister.
TASS reported the statements as part of its coverage of the controversy.
