Is Sports Politics Threatening to Destroy Sport? 4 November 2026 It isn’t just gymnastics that is being affected by visa refusals, political boycotts and disputes over Russia’s return to international competition. Ice hockey is now facing a crisis that threatens the organisation of some of its most important championships. On 30 October, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled in favour of the Russian Ice Hockey Federation, overturning the International Ice Hockey Federation’s (IIHF) continued exclusion of Russian national teams. CAS found that the IIHF had not provided sufficient evidence to justify the exclusion on security grounds. The IIHF has expressed disappointment with the ruling but has confirmed that it will comply. However, the decision has triggered a wave of opposition from national federations, governments and commercial sponsors. Six European countries — Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Latvia and the Czech Republic — have announced that they will refu...
"The greater the challenges, the better Russian gymnasts perform." An interview with Belyavsky Tatyana Postnikova, Championat October 28, 2026, 14:00 Moscow Time An Olympic champion reflects on the 2026 World Championships, discusses his athletic plans, and talks about his participation in the Gymnastics Premier League. The World Artistic Gymnastics Championships have concluded in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. For the first time since 2009, the Russian national team has returned from the tournament without any gold medals. However, the Russians did secure four medals—two silver and two bronze—and, crucially, earned an Olympic quota spot! Given the visa issues our athletes encountered, this is a respectable result. Immediately following the 2026 World Championships, we spoke with a star of the recent Russian national team—Olympic and World champion David Belyavsky. In an interview with *Championat*, he reviewed the tournament, shared his thoughts on competing in the Gymnastics...