Czech sports minister seeks talks over Russia’s return to international hockey

Czech Sports Minister Boris Šťastný (Motorists) plans to discuss Russia’s return to international ice hockey with Foreign Minister Petr Macinka (Motorists), Interior Minister Lubomír Metnar (ANO) and hockey officials. The talks follow a Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling allowing Russian teams to compete again, potentially at the 2027 World Championship in Germany. Šťastný has formally protested the decision and says Russian athletes should, at minimum, compete without their national flag or anthem, as at the Olympics. However, he acknowledged that the government cannot prevent Czech players from participating and that sporting bodies must decide how to respond.