NHL top star facing backlash after supporting Putin’s party in Russian elections
Ovechkin Faces International Criticism Over United Russia Election Video
Qwenews.com – Alexander Ovechkin, the Washington Capitals captain and the NHL’s all-time leading scorer, has drawn sharp criticism after appearing in a campaign video for President Vladimir Putin’s United Russia party ahead of Russia’s parliamentary elections.
The video promotes Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, one of the most prominent candidates associated with the party. In it, Lavrov delivers a forceful message toward Russia’s adversaries, saying they should “expect no mercy.” Ovechkin appears alongside several well-known Kremlin-aligned public figures.
Speaking at a news conference Thursday, Ovechkin said he did not regret taking part in the video and described his decision as an expression of support for his homeland.
“I’m Russian. I support my country.”
The hockey star also said he intends to return to Russia after his playing career ends.
“I’m gonna live there, my kids are gonna live there. I’m for peace and love and I hope everything’s going to be okay.”
Calls for sanctions and travel restrictions
The appearance has generated a strong response in Europe and North America, where Ovechkin has spent his entire NHL career with the Capitals. Latvia announced Thursday that Ovechkin would be barred from entering the country.
Latvia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs also imposed an entry ban on Umar Kremlev, a Kremlin-connected businessman who reportedly spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on portions of Donald Trump Jr.’s wedding celebration in the Bahamas. President Donald Trump said Friday that his son had reimbursed the Russian billionaire.
In Canada, the Ukrainian Canadian Congress called for Ovechkin to face sanctions and to be denied entry to the country. The organization represents about 1.3 million Canadians who identify as Ukrainian and described him as “a disgusting supporter of Russia’s genocidal war against Ukraine.”
US Rep. Joe Wilson, a Republican from South Carolina, wrote to NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman to express concern about Ovechkin’s endorsement of what he called “the party of war criminal Putin.” Wilson urged the league to review its policies.
Russia rejects accusations that it has committed war crimes in Ukraine, despite International Criminal Court charges against Putin and other Russian officials.
Sport, celebrity and political influence
The dispute has again highlighted the difficult intersection of sports and politics during Russia’s war against Ukraine. Olga Saladukha, who leads the Ukrainian Athletics Federation, said the episode demonstrated why Russian sport cannot be viewed separately from the state’s political goals.
“Sport and athletes represent in the Russian Federation – yet another element of the state, state propaganda, militarism and imperial delusions.”
Former NHL goaltender Dominik Hasek, a Hall of Fame member and outspoken critic of Russia’s invasion, also condemned Ovechkin’s public position. In a post on X, Hasek said Ovechkin “bears a significant share of responsibility through his public stance… for the hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of Ukrainians and Russians killed or maimed.”
The election video also includes Margarita Simonyan, editor-in-chief of the state broadcaster RT, and actor Vladimir Mashkov, a longtime Putin supporter. Mashkov, known internationally for roles in “Behind Enemy Lines” and “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol,” has been sanctioned in Europe because of his backing for Russia’s war in Ukraine.
For critics, the issue is not simply that Ovechkin is a Russian athlete. It is his participation in overt political messaging for the party that dominates Russian politics while the war continues. The video’s inclusion of political leaders, state media figures and prominent entertainers has intensified the perception that it serves a broader propaganda purpose.
Capitals acknowledge a difficult situation
The Washington Capitals said Ovechkin was asked to record the segment while spending the summer in Russia. General manager Chris Patrick told ESPN that the player had not informed the club about the filming before it became public.
“I would say it’s a difficult situation, and I understand why people are upset.”
The response places the Capitals and the NHL in an uncomfortable position. Ovechkin remains one of the league’s most recognizable players, with a career that has combined extraordinary achievement on the ice with a highly visible relationship with Putin away from it.
Ovechkin has captained Washington for 16 seasons. His multimillion-dollar contract was renewed for an additional season in July, extending a run that has made him one of the defining players of his generation. In April 2025, he surpassed the NHL’s previous all-time scoring mark and received a personal message of congratulations from Putin. Last November, one month after turning 40, he scored the 900th goal of his career.
A longstanding connection to Putin
Ovechkin’s relationship with the Russian president has long been public. His Instagram profile image shows him with Putin, and he has campaigned for the Russian leader in the past.
Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, however, Ovechkin’s public comments about the conflict have generally been more guarded. He has previously said that he has many friends in both Russia and Ukraine and expressed hope that the war would end soon.
His latest comments and election appearance have revived scrutiny of whether internationally celebrated athletes can separate personal sporting success from the political systems they publicly endorse. As Russia prepares for parliamentary voting amid an intensifying war, Ovechkin’s role in the campaign has become a prominent example of how sports figures can be drawn into national political messaging.
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