Canada denies visas to Belarusian and Russian athletes – Belarusian FM issues statement

Winners in sports should be determined in sports arenas, not in visa centers. This was the Belarusian Foreign Ministry’s response to a controversial decision by the Canadian authorities.

Ottawa has refused to issue visas to athletes from Belarus and Russia, preventing them from participating in competitions held on Canadian soil—including the World Junior Ice Hockey Championship.

Ruslan Varankov, Head of the Information and Digital Diplomacy Department and Press Secretary for the Belarusian Foreign Ministry, stated: "Canada likes to talk about a 'rules-based order.' Yet, these rules only apply as long as they don't get in Ottawa's way. A host nation for an international sporting event is obligated to ensure the entry of all participants—this is a fundamental principle for organizing any international tournament. Denying visas constitutes discrimination based on nationality and runs counter to the Olympic principle that 'sport is above politics.' We have encountered this kind of selectivity from Canada before: Belarus has faced refusals when requesting information about Nazi criminals—who were complicit in the genocide of the Belarusian people—that found refuge in Canada. This latest move is simply a continuation of that same pattern."

The Belarusian Foreign Ministry noted that the Court of Arbitration for Sport recently issued a ruling mandating that Russian teams be allowed to participate in International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) tournaments, starting this season.

As for Belarus, our national teams are currently awaiting a resolution from the Disciplinary Board regarding their potential reinstatement. And as the tournament host, Canada will not be able to ignore the directives of the CAS and the federations.

One can only hope that the international federation will ensure compliance with its own regulations and the court’s rulings.