Alex Ovechkin rejected the suggestion that the Russian state uses him as a propaganda tool when he spoke to reporters on Tuesday, hours before a protest against his support for Vladimir Putin took place outside the Ottawa arena.
A CBC reporter asked the Washington Capitals captain whether he was comfortable “being used as a propaganda tool by the Russian state.”
“Nobody’s using me,” Ovechkin replied.
The Ukrainian Canadian Congress organised the rally, titled “No War Crimes in Ottawa,” ahead of the Capitals’ game against the Senators. The group argues that Ovechkin’s public support for Putin and the ruling United Russia party should prevent him from entering Canada. Latvia banned him from entering the country in September.
“I just heard about it this morning and I don’t know what to say,” Ovechkin said of the protest. “Lots of protests are going on around the world.”
He did not go into further detail about his relationship with Putin. CBC also reported that Alex Ovechkin sidestepped a question about Russia using sporting success to advance its political agenda.
Alex Ovechkin says fans want to see Russian juniors, but the decision is not his
Alex Ovechkin was also asked about Russia’s possible return to the 2027 World Junior Championship in Alberta and Prime Minister Mark Carney’s position that Russian players will not be allowed into Canada for the tournament.
“That’s his thoughts and his decision,” Ovechkin said of Carney. “I don’t know how it’s going to work out, but I’m pretty sure if you asked the fans, the fans want to see the best players out there and the fans want to see the young players who are going to be future stars, future NHLers. But, it’s not up to us.”
The question comes as Russia’s participation remains uncertain. On Oct. 30, the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled in favour of the Russian Ice Hockey Federation, finding the IIHF’s exclusion of Russian teams unlawful and ordering their inclusion in the 2027 championships.
The IIHF said on Nov. 7 that it “continues to disagree” with the ruling but is taking the required steps. According to the Norwegian Ice Hockey Association, that includes informing Norway it must give up its place in the 10-team tournament for Russia. The IIHF has not formally announced the change, however, and Norway was still listed on the tournament website this week.
Russia has been excluded from IIHF events since February 2022. Finland, Sweden, Czechia, Latvia, Denmark and Switzerland have also said they will not play against Russia.
Asked about the CAS ruling, Ovechkin said, “As an athlete, we just want to play,” per The Athletic.
Alex Ovechkin is in his final NHL season. He has 930 career goals, the most in league history, and five points in 16 games this season. His assist on Cole Hutson’s overtime winner brought him to 762 assists, tying Nicklas Backstrom’s franchise record.
The World Juniors begin on Dec. 26, but Russia’s place in the tournament has yet to be settled.
Edited by Sonali Verma
