Finland may ban Russian athletes from entering the country in 2027 if Russia continues its war against Ukraine. This was stated by Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen, after the Court of Arbitration for Sport cleared the way for Russian teams to return to the International Ice Hockey Federation competitions.
„If Russia continues its offensive war, Russian athletes will have nothing to do with Finland next year. I intend to push through the necessary measures in the coming days“, wrote Valtonen.
According to the minister, the European Commission is working on a proposal to restrict the access of Russian athletes to the Schengen area. Valtonen also said he would push for stricter rules for processing visa applications from Russian citizens, including changes to European Union law that would allow for a ban on issuing tourist visas.
The statement came amid a decision on Russia's participation in international hockey tournaments in the 2026/2027 season. The International Ice Hockey Federation said the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling allows the Russian federation to enter its teams in all championships with immediate effect.
Among the competitions affected is the 2027 men's world championship. The tournament will be held in Germany, and the Russian team could take the place of Ukraine. The international federation said the decision has practical implications for competitions that are already in an advanced stage of preparation, including the format, program, travel and security measures.
Earlier this year, the federation had said that Russia would not be allowed to compete in the 2027 men's world championships due to concerns about security, safety and sporting integrity. However, following the subsequent decision by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, the International Ice Hockey Federation announced that it would have to comply with the ruling.
Finland introduced a ban on issuing visas to Russian citizens for non-essential travel back in 2022, Valtonen recalled in her position. Now it is pushing for the restrictions to be extended to the European level and to include Russian athletes.
A similar option is also being discussed in Sweden. Stockholm is considering whether to deny visas to Russian and Belarusian athletes who want to participate in international competitions on Swedish territory.