{"text":[[{"start":8.616,"text":"Half a dozen European countries have said they will refuse to play against Russia at next year’s ice hockey world championships after a court ruled that the country must be allowed to compete."}],[{"start":19.482,"text":"Russia has not participated in any international ice hockey events since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and the sport’s global governing body sought to exclude it again at several tournaments next year, including both the men’s and women’s world championships."}],[{"start":35.632,"text":"However, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled last week that Russia must be allowed to play in upcoming ice hockey tournaments, including both the men’s and women’s world championships next year. CAS said the International Ice Hockey Federation’s claims of security concerns surrounding Russia’s participation were not backed by sufficient evidence."}],[{"start":56.621,"text":"However, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, the Czech Republic and Latvia have said they will refuse to play Russia at the 16-team tournament."}],[{"start":67.27,"text":"Finland’s federation was the first to make the pledge, saying on Monday that it was “gathering as many countries as possible to form a common front to tell the IIHF that none of us will play against Russia”. It was joined on Tuesday by the other five."}],[{"start":79.695,"text":"“Russia should be excluded from all international championships as long as the war in Ukraine continues,” Norway’s federation said in a statement."}],[{"start":87.36,"text":"Swedish furniture company AJ Products said it would no longer sponsor the tournament."}],[{"start":93.04,"text":"Russia’s sports ministry and hockey federation did not immediately respond to requests for comment."}],[{"start":98.64,"text":"The German ice hockey federation, which is due to host the men’s world championships in May, said on Tuesday it was still discussing the situation internally and reiterated its opposition to Russia’s participation."}],[{"start":110.608,"text":"Hockey Canada, the North American country’s governing body for the sport, said it “shares the disappointment” expressed by the IIHF and other stakeholders with the CAS decision."}],[{"start":120.804,"text":"“We remain in discussions with the IIHF, our fellow member national associations and additional key stakeholders regarding the potential impact of the decision, and we are working towards gaining more clarity in the coming days,” it added."}],[{"start":133.28,"text":"On Tuesday night Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Russians would not be allowed to compete at the World Juniors ice hockey championship. The tournament runs from December 26 to January 5 in Edmonton and Red Deer in Canada’s oil-rich Alberta province."}],[{"start":149.68,"text":"“While Russia and Belarus are supporting this illegal and unjustified horrific war in Ukraine, as long as that’s going on, there will be none of those athletes competing for their countries in Canada. So if you’re asking specifically about the World Juniors, the Russians will not be there,” he said at the Commonwealth heads of Government Meeting at St John’s, Antigua and Barbuda."}],[{"start":171.36,"text":"Ukraine is due to take part in the world championships, having qualified for the first time in 20 years. As the lowest-ranked team in the tournament, its place is most at risk from Russia’s addition."}],[{"start":183.746,"text":"Russian sport minister Mikhail Degtyarev celebrated the CAS ruling on Friday, telling state television that Russia was “coming back to world hockey”. “This place belongs to us by right and the court decision has put an end to discrimination in hockey,” he said."}],[{"start":199.071,"text":"Russian athletes and teams have been barred from most major international sports since 2022. However, there has been a gradual push to bring them back into the fold ahead of the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028."}],[{"start":212.153,"text":"At the Winter Paralympic Games in March, athletes were allowed to compete under the Russian flag for the first time in more than a decade. The International Olympic Committee then lifted its ban on Russian athletes in July, giving individual sports the power to make their own decisions on the issue."}],[{"start":229.358,"text":"Since then, Moscow has taken several small steps towards reintegration."}],[{"start":233.986,"text":"Fifa president Gianni Infantino said earlier this year that banning Russia from sport had “achieved nothing” and that he would welcome the country’s return to international football. Last week, a Russian team took part in the U15s World Cup in Azerbaijan."}],[{"start":250,"text":"The International Weightlifting Federation announced late last month that Moscow had been chosen to host the sport’s world championships in 2030, a decision Ukraine’s foreign minister called “immoral”."}],[{"start":260,"text":"Despite the lifting of bans, some Russian athletes have struggled to gain visas to compete in international competitions. The Netherlands refused to grant visas to several Russian gymnasts ahead of last month’s world championships in Rotterdam."}],[{"start":274.16,"text":"Additional reporting by Max Seddon and Katya Arenina in Berlin, and Ilya Gridneff in Calgary"}],[{"start":286.32,"text":""}]],"url":"https://audio.ftcn.net.cn/album/a_1793780365_2444.mp3"}