Sweden, Czechs join growing boycott of hockey world championship games against Russia

Hockey powers Sweden, Finland and the Czech Republic will refuse to play against Russia at next year's world championship, as a growing boycott movement across Europe now includes six of the 16 nations in the men's tournament.The rift in the sport deepened Tuesday as 11-time champion Sweden, Norway, Latvia and Denmark signed up to the boycott, and a top sponsor threatened to walk away, after Finland announced Monday it was rallying other nations to refuse to play Russia. The Czech federation signed up too after initially saying it would wait for a board meeting next week. Austria told The Associated Press it is weighing up whether to join, and Germany is unsure of hosting the men's championship.The Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled last week that the International Ice Hockey Federation must reinstate Russian teams, beginning with the world juniors starting next month in Canada. There was no immediate reaction from the IIHF to the boycotts.Hockey power Sweden adds weight to boycott m