Ukrainian Youth and Sports Minister Matvii Bidnyi said Ukraine's national team should compete at the 2027 Ice Hockey World Championship despite a decision allowing Russian teams to return to international competitions, Champion reported.

According to the minister, Ukrainian hockey players will not take the ice against representatives of Russia. At the same time, Ukraine is urging other countries to boycott such matches and tournament host nations to use visa and security mechanisms to prevent Russian participation.

Despite this, Ukraine does not plan to withdraw from the World Championship. The minister emphasized that the national team had earned a place in the top division and should exercise that right.

"Our athletes train consistently and should not be deprived of the right to represent Ukraine on the international stage. Ukraine's national team has earned a place in the top division of the 2027 World Championship. Accordingly, our national team must be present at the tournament. And we are doing everything to defend our position and ensure the team's full participation in the top division," Bidnyi said.

The minister also described Ukraine's legal and diplomatic steps following a ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which ordered the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) to reinstate Russian national teams in competitions.

Bidnyi explained that the ruling does not override individual countries' right to determine entry requirements for their territories. Ukraine is maintaining contact with partner governments and using Council of Europe mechanisms in its response.

The minister also said the Ice Hockey Federation of Ukraine had submitted a memorandum to the IIHF containing evidence that Ukrainian athletes, clubs and infrastructure from temporarily occupied territories had been drawn into Russian competitions.

"International federations must thoroughly examine Russian athletes for links to the Russian armed forces, public support for the war and participation in propaganda events," Bidnyi said.

On Oct. 30, CAS upheld an appeal by the Russian Ice Hockey Federation and ordered the IIHF to allow Russian national teams to participate in several international competitions during the 2026-2027 season, including the World Championship.

Following the CAS ruling, the ice hockey associations of Austria, Finland, Norway, Denmark, Latvia, Sweden and Czechia announced boycotts of matches against Russia's national team at the World Championship.

The top-division 2027 Ice Hockey World Championship will take place in Germany from May 14 to 30. Ukraine will compete among the world's leading teams for the first time in 20 years. Its Group A opponents will be Switzerland, Finland, Sweden, Germany, Latvia, Austria and Slovenia.

Earlier, legendary hockey player Dominik Hašek proposed a way to prevent Russia from competing at the World Championship.