Kummola opposes boycott of ice hockey world championships

Former Finnish Ice Hockey Association chair Kalervo Kummola opposes boycotting the ice hockey world championships and is confident Ukraine will be allowed to compete next spring, he told Yle Radio Finland on Monday.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled on Friday that Russia can take part in next year’s world championship tournaments. Finland’s Ice Hockey Association chair, Heikki Hietanen, has said Finland will participate in the championships.

“A boycott by one or two countries is the worst option because it has never led to anything. What is needed now is a united front,” Kummola said.

He said he believes Russia can still be kept out of the tournaments, and that national ice hockey associations should first make their decisions. If they do not act, he said, political authorities are likely to decide the matter. Kummola said he believes the European Union could agree not to admit Russia while the war continues.

Germany’s ice hockey federation chief executive, Frank H. Lutz, has said the country is considering giving up hosting the championships because security costs would be too high if Russia takes part. Kummola said he would look for alternatives before cancelling the tournament and believes it can go ahead in Germany as scheduled.

Russia’s inclusion would push Ukraine out of the championships because Ukraine has the lowest ranking among the participating countries. Kummola said he was certain Ukraine would compete, adding that he had discussed the issue with the leadership of the International Ice Hockey Federation, or IIHF. The IIHF’s board was due to discuss the matter on Monday afternoon.

One possible solution, Kummola said, would be for the IIHF not to follow the court’s ruling and to postpone further consideration until next summer. That would keep Russia out this winter, while allowing time for the war to end, he said.