Workwear brand Strauss has warned it will relinquish sponsor rights for next year’s Ice Hockey World Championships if Russia is allowed to participate.
The Germany company says it will scrap all branding at the competition and would consider withdrawing its support altogether if the International Ice Hockey Federation lifts a ban on Russia in place since its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
It puts the IHHF in a difficult position following the Russian Ice Hockey Federation’s successful appeal against the ban at the Court of Arbitration for Sport last week.
“We have been a partner of the Ice Hockey World Championship for many years and value our collaboration with the IIHF,” said Strauss CEO Henning Strauss.
“Should Russia’s national team participate in the 2027 World Championship in Germany as a result of the CAS ruling, we will forgo all logo exposure associated with the tournament. We are also considering withdrawing as a sponsor.”
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SUBSCRIBE HEREStrauss is also a sponsor of European football’s governing body, Uefa, and this season expanded its deal to become refereeing partner – a move that sees its logo appear on officials’ sleeves in the men’s and women’s Champions League.
Why Russia may be allowed back in ice hockey
The Cas ruling ordered the IIHF to allow Russia to compete at both the men’s and women’s World Championships and equivalent junior events that precede them.
Cas said its three-man panel “found that the IIHF arguments citing safety, security and other concerns were not supported by sufficient evidence”.
It added: “The Panel unanimously concluded that, in the light of the applicable IIHF regulations, only substantiated security concerns could outweigh athletes of a particular nationality to participate in competitions. Consequently, the appeal was upheld.”
Its decision “did not order alternative measures, such as a neutrality regime, nor discussed organizational consequences” since they “were not requested and not subject to the appeal”.
Russia was exiled from sport following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine but some sports – including swimming and diving, table tennis, climbing, judo and taekwondo – have welcomed it back into the fold.
Russia remains banned from European and world football, although Fifa president Gianni Infantino has hinted at lifting it and allowed a Russian team to compete in last month’s Under-15 World Cup.