Helsinki NHL games precede Finland’s new restrictions on Russian athletes

Finland’s decision to restrict entry for Russian athletes is not expected to disrupt this week’s NHL games in Helsinki between the Seattle Kraken and Carolina Hurricanes, because the changes take effect on Monday. The Guardian reported the timing as Finland and Norway announced measures linked to Russia’s war in Ukraine, with consequences extending across international winter sports.

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The Finnish foreign ministry said its restrictions would cover Russian competitors appearing under neutral status as well as members of national teams. Foreign minister Elina Valtonen linked the decision to the continuing war and said their entry would threaten Finland’s international relations. The announcement followed domestic opposition to Russia’s reinstatement for the ice hockey world championships, according to the Guardian’s report.

Alongside the NHL fixtures, the scheduled World Cup slalom races in Levi on Saturday and Sunday should fall before enforcement begins. Later competitions face a different situation: Finland is hosting a figure skating grand prix next week and a cross-country skiing World Cup event this month. Both sports permit Russian participation under neutral status, making the new national entry restrictions relevant even where sporting eligibility has been granted.

The figure skating world championships in Tampere in March are another major event potentially affected. The International Skating Union said it was examining the implications of Finland’s announcement and seeking clarification from Finnish skating officials. It also argued that athletes should not be penalised for their governments’ actions. Its response did not establish how participation at those championships would ultimately be handled.

Norway separately announced plans to refuse entry to Russian and Belarusian professional athletes and accompanying support personnel travelling to compete. Its government said the measures would begin shortly and were intended to apply while the war continued. Justice and public security minister Astri Aas-Hansen described a further tightening of an already restrictive visa approach, following international federations’ decisions to ease some participation rules.

That announcement could affect the cross-country skiing World Cup in Trondheim in December. The International Ski and Snowboard Federation has allowed Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete subject to conditions including neutrality declarations and the absence of national symbols. Norway’s planned restrictions mean that federation clearance alone may not enable those competitors to enter the country for the event.