America News Agency

The decision was announced by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) convened on Monday. IIHF attributed the decision to ban the two countries from the tournament to "ongoing security risks".

Since the start of the war in Ukraine in February 2022, Russia and Belarus have been unable to participate in international tournaments. Therefore, neither Russia nor Belarus will be allowed to participate in the 2025 Ice Hockey World Cup to be held in Sweden and Denmark.

However, Russian and Belarusian athletes will be allowed to compete in the Paris Olympics this summer under a neutral flag.