Sponsors Withdraw from Ice Hockey World Championship Over Russia’s Return to Competition

Swedish company AJ Products ends its 37-year sponsorship of the IIHF World Championship, while Czech bookmaker Tipsport also protests Russia’s participation in the tournament.

Sponsors are withdrawing from the Ice Hockey World Championship over Russia being allowed to compete. This was reported by ZN.UA, citing Reuters.

Swedish furniture company AJ Products, which has sponsored the Ice Hockey World Championship since 1989, has withdrawn its support for next year’s tournament following the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruling allowing Russia to compete.

“We have decided that the AJ logo will not be associated with next year’s IIHF Men’s World Championship because Russia has once again been allowed to compete.

We have had a 37-year partnership with the IIHF, but we made this decision immediately after the court ruling on Friday.

In business, you often have to make difficult decisions, but this one was very easy to make,” said AJ Products CEO David Bray.

The CAS ruling has also drawn criticism from other tournament partners. Czech betting company Tipsport called the court’s decision “scandalous” and announced that it would not place advertisements during any championship matches involving Russia.

EMPR