Russia and Belarus banned for 2023/24 season by IIHF

[Czechboy]

No Russia/Belarus for the next Juniors, U18 and Skodas either.

Click to read more...

 

[ViD]

WJC is the only thing that’s truly missed as we can’t see the top prospects in action.

With NHLers not participating in the Olympics, I couldn’t care less about other adult championships

 

[Gilmour1996]

Hope it's permanent!

 

[WarriorofTime]

Cowardly decision from a gutless organization

 

[Faterson]

Only 2023/24? As can be seen by the utter lack of repentance, they deserve a much longer ban.

 

[ValeriKamensky]

Yea, hopefully it’s permanent! Those international hockey ratings are soaring so high we even have to bring WBC ratings to compare!

I even have a better idea - bring Ukraine in the elite division and let them start with a 10-0 lead along with a crying Zelensky video message before every game so everyone is happy.
Too bad Iraq, Syria, Libya are not hockey countries, they can’t get similar privileges.

Arguably the most brainless comment in hfboards history. There are thousands of civil victims, but the only thing you care about is tv rating.

 

[ViD]

Arguably the most brainless comment in hfboards history.

Of course it is, seeing how you’re not biased

 

[dryz]

Good! Nothing else needs to be said.

 

[Smirnov2Chistov]

So dramatic lol. There is no true best v best without russia

 

[ForsbergForever]

The fact of the matter is that while the Russian players have absolutely nothing to do with the war (aside from their personal views or support for Putin, see: Ovechkin), allowing Russia to compete internationally gives prestige to Putin, who happens to be a huge hockey fan himself. Any Olympic gold or World Championship victory is a propaganda win for a genocidal regime.

Yes, the game of hockey suffers by not having one of the few elite nations compete, but somehow I think penalizing a country that is firing missiles into apartment buildings and hospitals while kidnapping Ukrainian children is more important.

 

[MeHateHe]

This is the right decision and as much as I have an opinion, this is more about how countries like Sweden, Finland, Czechia and others in the region feel about their neighbour.

Anyone want to give an over/under on how many posts this thread has before it's closed? I'm guessing 38.

 

[sansabri]

not yet safe? is the IIHF in some kind of danger

 

[waitin425]

Closed in 5....4....3....2.....1......

 

[FlyguyOX]

...again? Seriously?