The International Ice Hockey Federation has barred Israel from competing in its World Championship events.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Federation said the decision was made for the safety and security of all participants. They made no mention of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in the statement. In accordance with the Federation’s duty of care to protect all participants at I.I.H.F. competitions, the Council has decided to restrict the Israeli National Team from participating in all Ice Hockey Federation Championships, until the safety and well-being of all participants including Israeli participants can be assured.
Israel’s men are ranked 33rd in the world out of 58, while their women are last in the 44 team rankings. In March 2023, the Federation also suspended all national teams and clubs from Russia because of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.