Teams of Russia and Belarus will not be allowed to compete under the auspices of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) while the war in Ukraine continues. This was stated by IIHF President Luc Tardif in a commentary to ESPN. According to him, the teams of the aggressor countries will be able to return to the IIHF tournaments only if the war in Ukraine ends. Until this happens, the Russian Federation and its ally will be suspended from the competition.. " This is a matter of the safety of the fans, our teams. No visa anyway, can't travel. And no one knows how long it will last. I understand that sometimes there is political influence. As a person, I have my own understanding of the situation. But in my position at the IIHF, I have to make a decision according to our leadership and protect our tournaments," Recall that as a result of the full-scale invasion of Russia into Ukraine with the support of Belarus, the teams of the aggressor countries were forbidden to participate in competitions under the auspices of the IIHF.

Also, Russia was deprived of the right to host the 2023 World Cup among men in the top division and the Youth World Cup 2023. In the summer of 2022, the Russian Federation and Belarus tried to challenge the IIHF decision, but their appeals were rejected, and the suspension from international competitions remained in force. In March 2023, the IIHF extended the suspension of Russia and Belarus from tournaments under its auspices. Thus, Russians and Belarusians will not take part in international competitions of the 2023/24 season, including missing the 2023 and 2024 World Championships.