Israel is not permitted to participate in the world championship competitions held by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) due to security concerns.
The Israeli National Team will not be allowed to compete in IIHF Championships until all players, including Israelis, can be guaranteed to be safe and well. This decision was made by the IIHF.
The IIHF Council said in a statement, “The Council made this decision after giving it considerable thought and based on a risk assessment, discussions with the participating countries, and discussions with the hosts.”
It made no reference to the ongoing conflict in Gaza and did not specify whether any other nation objected to playing against Israel. The IIHF stated that Israel will continue to be excluded “for the time being.”
Similar rhetoric about “safety and security” was previously used by the IIHF to justify its decision.
