Ice hockey world championship sponsors increase pressure on IIHF over Russia's return

The pressure on the International Ice Hockey Federation grew Wednesday as two major sponsors of the men's world championship said they would review their involvement if Russia takes part.The tournament's main sponsor, automaker Skoda, says it will “reassess” its involvement if Russia plays, and another longtime backer, Strauss, says it would refuse to have its logo shown.A Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling last week obliged the IIHF to lift its exclusion of Russian national teams, which had been in place since 2022 over the war in Ukraine.Almost half of the 16 nations in the men’s championship in Germany next May are refusing to play Russia. The Canadian government also says it will not allow Russia to compete at the world junior championship there starting next month.“We do not support the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s decision regarding the participation of Russian national teams in IIHF competitions," the Czech Republic-based automaker Skoda, which is part of Germany’s Volksw