Latvia to boycott match with Belarus at the World Junior Ice Hockey Championship
The Latvian junior ice hockey team will not play against the Belarusian national team at the 2027 World Championship in the USA, writes "Belarusian Hockey".

Belarusian U18 ice hockey team, photo by FHB
— The Latvian Ice Hockey Federation plans to participate in the tournament, but does not plan to play matches against the Belarusian team, — said LHF General Secretary Roberts Pļāvejs.
In Latvia and Lithuania, there is a legislative ban on playing matches with Russia and Belarus in team sports.
Earlier, the International Ice Hockey Federation reinstated the Belarusian U-18 team (players under 18) as participants in the World Championship.
At the 2027 World Championship in Duluth (Minnesota), Latvia and Belarus will play in different groups. However, they may meet in the playoffs or in a match to stay in the top division.
Yesterday, Lithuania refused to participate in the 2027 Women's Junior World Championship in the third division due to the Belarusian team's debut.
It should be noted that Belarusian hockey players, along with Russian hockey, have been under an ice hockey ban since the start of the full-scale war against Ukraine in February 2022. For example, "adult" hockey players missed five World Championships, as well as qualification for the 2026 Olympics. On Thursday, the International Ice Hockey Federation allowed women's hockey and junior hockey to participate in international competitions. National and youth men's teams are currently still excluded from competitions.
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