Russia and Belarus out for next two world championships.

[Czechboy]

How about the large contingency who see hypocrisy in the IIHF’s decisions? A lot of us are North American based, not just Russians.

I said Russian fans. Not Russians living in Russia.

 

[waitin425]

Is Belarus even good enough to be in the top tier IIHF tournaments? I know of Levshunov but who else do they have?

 

[ViD]

Is Belarus even good enough to be in the top tier IIHF tournaments? I know of Levshunov but who else do they have?

Protas brothers, Sharangovich, Kolyachonok, Kolosov

 

[waitin425]

Protas brothers, Sharangovich, Kolyachonok, Kolosov

Decent

 

[jigglysquishy]

It seems like 3 crowds to me:

Crowd 1 - Russian fans are pissed because they are banned and feel targetted.
Crowd 2 - people living in Europe who absolutely think this is the right thing to do
Crowd 3 - North American based who miss Russia at the World Jr's and feel 'leave the kids alone' is the answer

And then the spin cycle goes on and on.

There's a sizeable contingent of Canadians who believe excluding Russia until the war of aggression is over is the correct thing to do.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

There's a sizeable contingent of Canadians who believe excluding Russia until the war of aggression is over is the correct thing to do.

I guess this is my huge problem. US fans too that have this view.

These countries have certainly waged wars of aggression. They weren’t banned and I certainly don’t think their fans would’ve called for them to be banned (I’m a USAH fan and would not call for this).

The European nations I somewhat understand that their perspective would be different, at the very least. For these European fans, I guess my question is what will suffice to be comfortable with allowing Russia back into the IIHF. Does Ukraine have to win the war? Does Russia have to pay reparations? Would a negotiated relatively even solution work? Or is this not even about Ukraine and it’s about the way the Russian regime operates and change might be needed there (regime change?) to quell the concerns with allowing Russia back into the IIHF?

 

[Zine]

I guess this is my huge problem. US fans too that have this view.

These countries have certainly waged wars of aggression. They weren’t banned and I certainly don’t think their fans would’ve called for them to be banned (I’m a USAH fan and would not call for this).

The European nations I somewhat understand that their perspective would be different, at the very least. For these European fans, I guess my question is what will suffice to be comfortable with allowing Russia back into the IIHF. Does Ukraine have to win the war? Does Russia have to pay reparations? Would a negotiated relatively even solution work? Or is this not even about Ukraine and it’s about the way the Russian regime operates and change might be needed there (regime change?) to quell the concerns with allowing Russia back into the IIHF?

Russia is banned, not because of ethics, but because the invasion of Ukraine directly effects the security of many IIHF nations.

I suppose the National Team will return to competitions when the security concerns of these members no longer exists.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Russia is banned, not because of ethics, but because the invasion directly effects the security of many European nations. It's all about self interest.

I suppose the National Team will return to competitions when the security concerns of certain IIHF members no longer exist.

That’s what the IIHF claims (the safety of players is at stake or something), but does anyone believe that’s the real reason? I think most believe the reason is that certain federations refuse to compete with Russia due to the war and/or its effects.

 

[Fyodorov]

Russia is banned, not because of ethics, but because the invasion directly effects the security of many European nations.

I suppose the National Team will return to competitions when the security concerns of certain IIHF members no longer exist.

That logic does not check out in the slightest, for very obvious reasons.

 

[Zine]

That’s what the IIHF claims (the safety of players is at stake or something), but does anyone believe that’s the real reason? I think most believe the reason is that certain federations refuse to compete with Russia due to the war and/or its effects.

By 'security' I mean the national security of certain IHF members, which is affected by the Ukraine invasion. Nothing exists in a vacuum.

As I previously pointed out, the IIHf is used as a political tool to promote the interest of certain members. It's why Russia is banned, yet others are not.

National Team will return to competitions when certain IIHF members' self interests are met.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Of course it is. By 'security' I mean the national security of certain IHF members, which is effected by the Ukraine invasion.

As I previously pointed out, the IIHf is used as a political tool to promote the interest of certain members. It's why Russia is banned, yet others are not. It's all about self interest.

National Team will return to competitions when certain IIHF members' self interests are met.

That clarification makes more sense. The IIHF never seem to specify what security means, and an article I read yesterday interpreted it as player safety.

I tend to agree with your overall point.

 

[Albatros]

Just out of interest, how would you guarantee the safety of players, teams, fans?

 

[Old Man Jags]

No disrespect intended, but you're probably the only person that remembers it

You massively, MASSIVELY overestimate the importance of Russia and how us non-Russians view their absence. I have not missed Russia at all, for example, and that Prague / Ostrava tournament (which broke all attendance world records) will stay in my memory for a long time.

 

[Old Man Jags]

No one in Russia is losing sleep over this. Enjoy your boring ass championship.

And yet, judging by the countless articles in the Russian press going on and on about it, some of them do seem to lose sleep over it.

 

[brentashton]

Ovi is going to Aruba and resting up before he assails Gretzkys record. I love Wayne and I hate Russia but I can’t piss on Ovi because of that. He’s just a guy.

 

[Czechboy]

Of course, one of the fondest memories from that was Svoboda putting the puck past the Russian goalie… You know, the poster may be right - there are some things I do miss about Russia

Of course, one of the fondest memories from that was Svoboda putting the puck past the Russian goalie… You know, the poster may be right - there are some things I do miss about Russia

Funny thing.. I'm watching the EHT replay right now and in the intermissoin they showed the Svoboda goal.lol

 

[Czechboy]

I assume you know the answer to that, but if genuinely not then Google is your friend, just type in that term in combination with “Russia”.


Btw, it is rare in EHT hockey for the Czechs to be top after 7 ganes with 6 victories. Rulik magic. The Europe-based players seem to be in decent form.

We found our Jalonen... also, I don't mean to brag but... a bunch of us HF boys met him in Ottawa!

That is me, Joey16 and Czechcanadian with Rulik and Pavelec a month or so ago. I'm the handsome one in blue who Rulik has his arm around!lmao

I don't care much for the EHT BUT I do think our World's team will be 95% Euro this year so it's encouraging! I love our Euro squad right now and think it's the strongest it's been in awhile. No I don't think we're getting gold but a medal could happen!

And I can assure that every man in that photo remembers the last World Championships.lol

 

[FinPanda]

I think its the right call.

 

[PhysicalGraffiti]

Punishing hard working players who one cannot assume their politics is asinine based on their country of origin. It's a high level of ignorance and discrimination that doesn't do anything to the politicians, only players.

It's wild to see so many people who likely have a Ukraine flag on their porch thinking this is just. Disallowing players like Vasy, Kuch, Sorokin, Panarin, Ovi, etc. because they happen to hail from that country is asinine and no amount of reddit logic will change that.

 

[Albatros]

Punishing hard working players who one cannot assume their politics is asinine based on their country of origin. It's a high level of ignorance and discrimination that doesn't do anything to the politicians, only players.

It's wild to see so many people who likely have a Ukraine flag on their porch thinking this is just. Disallowing players like Vasy, Kuch, Sorokin, Panarin, Ovi, etc. because they happen to hail from that country is asinine and no amount of reddit logic will change that.

None of those players have been banned from the tournaments, not even Ovechkin despite being the biggest sycophant out there. If he doesn't want to play for Team USA then that's his choice.

 

[PhysicalGraffiti]

None of those players have been banned from the tournaments, not even Ovechkin despite being the biggest sycophant out there. If he doesn't want to play for Team USA then that's his choice.

Avatar fits.

Russia should be allowed to have a team and he and many others should be allowed to play on it. The league has a extensive list of Russian superstars who should be able to wear the flag of their homeland. Doing so is not saying you support the leader and each of their actions.

This is part of a larger world wide problem. People are unable to separate the politician (s) from the country and utilize this to justify their bigoted ideals. You can dislike and disapprove of the head of a country, especially when not each one is elected democratically. But to say that each person from said country is bad or supports that leadership is patently false. To also suggest one should be less patriotic due to a leader they disagree with is extremely short sighted.

 

[Albatros]

The NHL is free to create Team Russian Superstars if it so wishes, nothing prevents that either.

 

[Kshahdoo]

And it's good that Russia is outside of IIHF tournaments, because f*** IIHF. I'm pretty sure we will participate at NHL World Cup, IIHF tournaments I don't give a f*** for, even WJCs.

The bigger problem is to get rid of Rotenberg, I'm pretty sure he aims to become Team Russia's head coach, and it'll be clownery.

 

[Zine]

Just out of interest, how would you guarantee the safety of players, teams, fans?

The same way the IIHF guaranteed the safety of players, teams, fans when they reinstated Israel, despite nothing significantly changing security wise.
The whole safety thing is a ruse.

The bigger problem is to get rid of Rotenberg, I'm pretty sure he aims to become Team Russia's head coach, and it'll be clownery.

Terrifying.

I'd rather be suspended from the IIHF than than have RR as head coach. Maybe being banned is a blessing in disguise.

 

[Old Man Jags]

By 'security' I mean the national security of certain IHF members, which is affected by the Ukraine invasion. Nothing exists in a vacuum.

As I previously pointed out, the IIHf is used as a political tool to promote the interest of certain members. It's why Russia is banned, yet others are not.

National Team will return to competitions when certain IIHF members' self interests are met.

Yeah sure, that’s the reason. Nothing to do with the fact that Russia has unleashed the most brutal war on European soil since WWII that aims to remove another European nation from the map. The words “reflection” and “self-awareness” seem to be missing from the Russian dictionary.

Avatar fits.

Russia should be allowed to have a team and he and many others should be allowed to play on it. The league has a extensive list of Russian superstars who should be able to wear the flag of their homeland. Doing so is not saying you support the leader and each of their actions.

This is part of a larger world wide problem. People are unable to separate the politician (s) from the country and utilize this to justify their bigoted ideals. You can dislike and disapprove of the head of a country, especially when not each one is elected democratically. But to say that each person from said country is bad or supports that leadership is patently false. To also suggest one should be less patriotic due to a leader they disagree with is extremely short sighted.

A lot of them do support it. Ovechkin for example loves the leader.