Russians Will Miss Out On Hockey, Batman & Disney Movies Because Putin Invaded Ukraine
The boycotts, bans and suspensions are piling up.
Russia vs Canada in a hockey tournament. Middle: Robert Pattinson and Zoe Kravitz in ‘The Batman.’ Right: The CN Tower in Pixar’s ‘Turning Red.’
Sports organizations and movie studios are pulling their best stuff out of Russia this year, in an effort to punish the country for its sudden attack on Ukraine.
Multiple sporting events like the 2023 World Junior Hockey Championship have been pulled out of Russia, while movie studios like Disney and Warner Bros. have cancelled plans to release their newest movies in Russian theatres. FIFA is also kicking Russian teams out of competitions for the foreseeable future.
Russia and Belarus have officially been banned from participating in any games hosted by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), including the 2023 World Junior Championship, reported NBC Sports.
The IIHF Council has suspended all Russian and Belarusian national and club teams from IIHF competitions until further notice and withdrew the hosting rights of the 2023 #WorldJuniors from Russia. \n\nREAD MORE: https://www.iihf.com/en/news/32301/iihf_council_announces_decisions_over_russia_belar\u00a0\u2026\n\n#hockey #icehockey #Ukraine #Russia #Belaruspic.twitter.com/YYb1JduvWE— IIHF (@IIHF) 1646078416
“The IIHF is not a political entity and cannot influence the decisions being taken over the war in Ukraine,” IIHF President LuC Tardif said in a statement.
“We nevertheless have a duty of care to all of our members and participants and must therefore do all we can to ensure that we are able to operate our events in a safe environment for all teams taking part in the IIHF World Championship program.”
Similarly, FIFA has suspended Russia from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, while UEFA has booted Russian teams out of its European competition, reported ESPN.
"FIFA and UEFA have today decided together that all Russian teams, whether national representative teams or club teams, shall be suspended from participation in both FIFA and UEFA competitions until further notice," the organizations said in a statement on Monday.
"Football is fully united here and in full solidarity with all the people affected in Ukraine."
The entertainment industry is also taking strong measures against Russia.
Disney has announced that they will be halting any future theatrical release at the Russian box office until further notice. Their decision is based on the evolving political situation in Ukraine, reported the Hollywood Reporter.
“Given the unprovoked invasion of Ukraine and the tragic humanitarian crisis, we are pausing the release of theatrical films in Russia, including the upcoming Turning Red from Pixar,” a Disney spokesperson told THR.
“We will make future business decisions based on the evolving situation. In the meantime, given the scale of the emerging refugee crisis, we are working with our NGO partners to provide urgent aid and other humanitarian assistance to refugees.”
Warner Media is taking similar measures and has decided not to release The Batman in Russia on Friday, reported Variety.
As Russian forces attack Ukraine, civilians suffer. When those affected flee their homes and seek shelter, many will rely upon humanitarian aid from charities on the ground. Via CNN Impact Your World, here\u2019s how you can help.https://twitter.com/CNNImpact/status/1497244972684386350\u00a0\u2026— WarnerMedia (@WarnerMedia) 1645819587
“In light of the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, WarnerMedia is pausing the release of its feature film The Batman in Russia,” said a WarnerMedia spokesperson in a statement.
“We will continue to monitor the situation as it evolves. We hope for a swift and peaceful resolution to this tragedy.”
Sony has also decided to temporarily halt the release of its Marvel movie Morbius, according to Deadline.
The moves come after Russia was booted out of the Eurovision Song Contest for this year, BBC reports.
No dates have been announced for when Russia will be getting these things back.
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