Sports Minister Boris Stastny said Friday the Czech government has no plans to prevent national teams from facing Russia, leaving participation decisions to sports federations, Czech Radio reported. He argued that government restrictions would compromise the federations’ independence.
The Czech Ice Hockey Federation has said its national teams will not play Russia. Anadolu Ajansı reported that the federation announced its position after a recent Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruling allowed Russian teams to return to international championships.
Anadolu Ajansı also reported similar announcements from several other European ice hockey associations. The developments put eligibility and participation in separate hands: the CAS ruling allowed Russian teams to return to international championships, while federations can decide whether their own teams compete against them. Stastny’s comments place the Czech government’s role in that decision with the sports bodies.
