Canada bans entry of athletes from Russia and Belarus

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced that Russian and Belarusian athletes will be barred from participating in the upcoming junior hockey championship in Alberta due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. He emphasized that as long as these countries support the war, their athletes will not compete in Canada. The federal government plans to use immigration control powers to prevent athletes from these nations from entering the country, aiming to stop the use of international sports events for political propaganda. The junior championship is set to begin on December 26, despite a recent ruling allowing Russia to return to international hockey competitions.