Russian and Belorussian National Teams Suspended from IIHF Play Through August

[Drew a Penalty]

 

[Pete]

Inb4 @Phil changes thread title. 

[Zuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuc]

But why? What have the players done to deserve this?

 

I just don't get all of this. Do whatever you can to stop the war and hurt Putin, but letting hockey players play hockey won't do anything about that. It's just some weird virtue signaling again.

 

All this shit gonna eventually end up getting the Russian people even more on Putin's side. We're basically fucking up their economy, which impacts the "normal people" the most, telling them they can't participate in International competitions, blocking of flights (for "normal people") etc. All because they're trapped by a crazy leader.

 

We don't need to cancel everything that's russian or has russians in it.

[Phil]

Russia’s hockey program is one of its only legitimizing platforms. By taking this away, the international community is striking an incredible blow to their morale. Fully support this.

[Blue Heaven]

11 minutes ago, Zuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuc said:

But why? What have the players done to deserve this?

 

I just don't get all of this. Do whatever you can to stop the war and hurt Putin, but letting hockey players play hockey won't do anything about that. It's just some weird virtue signaling again.

 

All this shit gonna eventually end up getting the Russian people even more on Putin's side. We're basically fucking up their economy, which impacts the "normal people" the most, telling them they can't participate in International competitions, blocking of flights (for "normal people") etc. All because they're trapped by a crazy leader.

 

We don't need to cancel everything that's russian or has russians in it.

or as Europe and the U.S. is hoping that these sanctions will in turn  put pressure on the people of Russia to protest and turn on Putin.  

[Zuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuc]

15 minutes ago, Phil said:

Russia’s hockey program is one of its only legitimizing platforms. By taking this away, the international community is striking an incredible blow to their morale. Fully support this.

Then why not go ahead and ban Russian players in the NHL aswell? I would think the Russians care more about Ovechkin's games than the Russian D-team playing international games.

[Phil]

11 minutes ago, Zuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuc said:

Then why not go ahead and ban Russian players in the NHL aswell? I would think the Russians care more about Ovechkin's games than the Russian D-team playing international games.

 

Because Russian players playing in the NHL aren't a national program. No Russian or Belorussian team deserves the honor of winning an international competition in anything right now.

 

This is a proxy war. Russian people will undoubtedly feel the weight of these calls, but so too will Russian leadership, which is entirely the point. Their economy is tanking. They didn't even open their stock market today. The whole point of all of this is to make life as painful as possible to force their hand in ending this unjust war.

[Morphinity 2.0]

Gretzky nailed it

 

 

[Phil]

Exactly. We're short of going to full-scale world war to stop them, so every measure should be considered, this included.

[Drew a Penalty]

2 hours ago, Zuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuc said:

But why? What have the players done to deserve this?

 

I just don't get all of this. Do whatever you can to stop the war and hurt Putin, but letting hockey players play hockey won't do anything about that. It's just some weird virtue signaling again.

 

All this shit gonna eventually end up getting the Russian people even more on Putin's side. We're basically fucking up their economy, which impacts the "normal people" the most, telling them they can't participate in International competitions, blocking of flights (for "normal people") etc. All because they're trapped by a crazy leader.

 

We don't need to cancel everything that's russian or has russians in it.

 

1 hour ago, Zuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuc said:

Then why not go ahead and ban Russian players in the NHL aswell? I would think the Russians care more about Ovechkin's games than the Russian D-team playing international games.

 

 

Why do the players deserve this? They don't, but that's not the point. It's a condemnation of Russia's actions that cannot be ignored. There's a significant point in pride in their national teams and it'll be hard for the Russia state-sponsored media to suddenly explain why their teams are suddenly out of competition. Doubly so, it's a slap in the face to Putin who is an ardent supporter of the sport and the national team.

 

And no, I doubt as an entire nation they give a shit Ovechkin's games. The entirety of Russia isn't tuning into watch Ovechkin. They already watch most of the players that comprise their "D Team" regularly in the KHL. To them, they're not the "D team." Banning players in the NHL doesn't remotely equate to doing the same thing.

[Drew a Penalty]

This is the press release about Jokerit withdrawing from the KHL on the KHL website.

 

Quote

HC Jokerit on Feb 25, 2022, informed the Kontinental Hockey League of its withdrawal from the Gagarin Cup.

Alexei Morozov, KHL President:
- We're very sorry to lose Jokerit, an excellent and vibrant team, with a recognizable style. Jokerit plays in our league since the 2014-2015 season and has constantly reached the playoff. Games with all the teams in the league have always been interesting.
It's very unfortunate that the Jokerit's departure is due not to sporting reasons, but to political ones.

 

They'll do anything to avoid citing the true reasons. The more this happens, the more the Russian public, who are still largely unaware of the true events in Ukraine, will find out about their nation's deception and atrocious acts.

[Scott]

3 hours ago, Morphinity said:

Gretzky nailed it

 

 

[LindG1000]

 

[McDougalfaschnitzer]

Strange how none of this logic applied to us when we were lying our way into war in Iraq etc.