Alex Ovechkin Russian political ad Credit: Visegrád on X
By Matt Yoder on

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Alex Ovechkin is at the center of a firestorm once again, not because of what he’s done on the ice, but because of his support for Russian president Vladimir Putin and his political party.

The NHL’s all-time leading goalscorer was featured in an ad for Putin’s United Russia party ahead of new elections for the Duma, one of Russia’s houses of parliament. Russian elections are widely condemned around the world as being neither free nor fair.

And yet, there was Ovechkin standing behind Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov, silently endorsing Putin’s repressive political machine.

Ovechkin’s longtime support and personal friendship with Putin cast a small shadow over his chase for the NHL goal-scoring record, which the NHL has preferred to keep out of the spotlight for obvious reasons. But with Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine now in its fifth year, the Washington Capitals star is under increasing pressure regarding his stance on the war and Russia’s president, especially given his new endorsement.

Ovechkin spoke about the ad with reporters this week, saying that he was for peace and offering little detail about his political involvement, suggesting that he was somehow neutral. However, after his gaggle with the media, he was pressed further by ESPN reporter Robert Klemko.

Klemko detailed the exchange on his social media page and wrote an article about Alex Ovechkin for ESPN.com. The ESPN reporter says that he questioned Ovechkin about his support for Putin and the accusations against people in the political video and their role in the Ukraine war before the hockey legend ended the interview.

It’s shocking that this interview is really the first time we have seen Alex Ovechkin truly put under the microscope for his support of Vladimir Putin. Klemko was praised for asking the tough questions that few others have been willing or able to do.

Interestingly, Capitals general manager Chris Patrick told Klemko that the team would have tried to convince Ovechkin not to do the ad if it were up to the team.

Equally interesting, the NHL declined to comment to ESPN, choosing to bury its head in the sand while the international sports community has taken decisive action regarding Russian athletes.

Alex Ovechkin is in an incredibly unique position that nobody else could really understand. His family lives in Russia, and if he were to stand up against Vladimir Putin, who knows what the consequences might be. But it’s certainly not impossible for a Russian sports star to do so. Former chess world champion Garry Kasparov has become one of the world’s most outspoken and influential voices in opposing Putin and advancing the cause of democracy worldwide.

The bottom line is that Ovechkin is openly participating in political propaganda to advance a war machine that has taken thousands of lives during Russia’s war in Ukraine. His face and presence are a gift to Putin, a man who he has continued to stand by throughout the years. That’s something that both he and the NHL will need to take accountability for, sooner or later.

About Matt Yoder

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