February 28, 2022 at 4:02 PM
Hosts Finland want Russia and Belarus banned from this year's ice hockey world championships and all other international games in connection with Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
A statement quoted Finnish ice hockey chief Harri Nummela as telling the president of the ruling body IIHF, Luc Tardif, that "it is not possible for Russia and Belarus to participate in the men's world championships in Tampere and Helsinki in May.
He said the Finnish federation "demands that Russia and Belarus be completely excluded from international hockey activities and that we do not intend to play against the national teams of these countries."
Just over a week ago Finland beat the Russian team in Beijing for their first-ever Olympic gold medal on the sport.
