Ice hockey-Russia, Belarus ban not beneficial for world hockey - Russian governing body

FILE PHOTO: 2022 Beijing Olympics - Ice Hockey - Russian Olympic Committee Men's Training - National Indoor Stadium, Beijing, China - February 6, 2022. Russia athletes wearing protective face masks arrive for training. REUTERS/David W Cerny

(Reuters) - Russia's exclusion from the world championships for safety reasons "is neither constructive, nor beneficial", the country's ice hockey federation said after the sport's governing body barred Russia and Belarus from international competition in the 2023-2024 season.

Last year, the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) suspended all national teams and clubs from the two countries from taking part in international events in every age category following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.