International Ice Hockey Federation Bans Israel Over 'Security Concerns,' Giving Them Same Treatment As Russia, Belarus
The International Ice Hockey Federation, or IIHF, has announced that Israel and its national hockey teams will not be welcome to compete for the time being. The sport's governing body said that this was due to "safety and security" concerns.
Funny. They said the same thing to Russia and Belarus...
"After careful consideration, the IIHF Council has decided that, due to concerns over the safety and security of all participants in the Championships, Israel will not participate in IIHF Competitions for the time being," the organization said in a statement.
The IIHF said that the Israeli National Team is barred from the "IIHF Championships until the safety and well-being of all participants (including Israeli participants) can be assured."
There was no indication if there were any threats or complaints from other participating nations which led to the decision.
The IIHF uses a tiered system for its Championship. At the top is the World Championship with countries like the United States, Canada, and Sweden. From there there are multiple tiers with a system of promotion and relegation happening between them
Israel's men's team plays in Division II, Group A, the championship for which is scheduled for April in Belgrade, Serbia. The Israelis were slated to compete against teams from Serbia, Croatia, Australia, Iceland, and the United Arab Emirates.
On the women's side, Israel competes in Division III. Group B. The championship for that is scheduled for March and will be held in Estonia. The other teams competing are Estonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Singapore, and Thailand.
This is to say that Israel is far from a hockey superpower. However, this could be the start of a domino effect of other bans on Israeli athletes.
Israel and Georgia face off during the 2023 IIHF Division II, Group A Championship in Madrid. (Photo by Borja B. Hojas/Getty Images)
The Nation's Olympic Committee Chairwoman Says IIHF Decision To Ban Israel 'Stinks Of Antisemitism'
Israeli Olympic Committee Chairwoman Yael Arad noted that this could set a precedent for similar decisions from other governing bodies.
She even went so far as to say the decision "stinks of antisemitism."
"Unfortunately, we are witnessing a precedent-setting and dangerous decision that stinks of antisemitism under the guise of safety for the athletes," Arad said, per The Jerusalem Post. "In personal conversations I had with the chairman of the International Federation, I witnessed a disappointing lack of transparency and opacity driven by a hidden agenda that has no place in world sports."
Arad added that the International Olympic Committee is "aware of and supports our positions, and we will not allow this to happen."
Russia and Belarus faced similar decisions from the IIHF following the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Neither country has competed internationally since then.
The Israeli Ice Hockey Association is filing an appeal to the Committee Court of Arbitration for Sport with the backing of the Israeli Olympic Committee.
This is of course important as the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris are just months away. The concern is that other governing bodies will follow the IIHF's lead.
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