Congressman Joe Wilson Questions NHL Over Alex Ovechkin's Role in Putin Campaign Ad

<p>Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., has expressed concern regarding Alex Ovechkin's appearance in a campaign advertisement for the Vladimir Putin-backed United Russia party, and he has reached out to NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman regarding the matter.</p><p>Wilson sent a letter to Bettman on Tuesday, describing the Washington Capitals captain's participation as "shameful" and requesting that the league review the situation. Capitals owner Ted Leonsis was also included in the correspondence.</p><p>In the advertisement, Ovechkin does not speak but stands behind Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in a United Russia campaign video ahead of Russia’s parliamentary elections scheduled for September 18-20. Margarita Simonyan, editor-in-chief of the Russian state-controlled network RT, also appears in the ad.</p><p>Wilson stated, "While Mr. Ovechkin has every right to hold personal political views, actively participating in campaign material for Putin’s oppressive party while serving as the captain of an NHL franchise in our nation’s capital raises serious questions about the standards expected of players who represent the League and their communities."</p><p>The letter does not request that Bettman suspend or fine Ovechkin but seeks clarification on whether the NHL has policies regarding active players who appear in political advertisements for foreign parties or regimes.</p><p>Wilson also wants the league and the Capitals to clarify that Ovechkin’s participation does not reflect the positions of either organization.</p><p>On social media, Wilson stated, "It is incredibly alarming that [the NHL] and [the Capitals] have allowed Alexander Ovechkin to appear in a campaign advertisement supporting the party of war criminal Putin. American hockey fans deserve better leadership from their star players!"</p><p>During an interview with Fox News’ Dan Scully, Wilson elaborated on his letter. When asked what action he wanted Bettman to take and whether he was seeking discipline for Ovechkin, Wilson did not provide a direct answer.</p><p>Wilson remarked, "For Ovechkin to be campaigning for a person who is indeed the new Hitler of the 21st century, it’s just inconceivable."</p><p>When asked if he had information that the NHL or Capitals were aware of the advertisement beforehand, Wilson replied, "Ahead of time, I’m not sure."</p><p>The Capitals stated that Ovechkin was approached while spending the offseason in Russia. Capitals spokesperson Sergey Kocharov said in a statement to Reuters, "This summer, while in Russia, he was asked by his country to participate in a video campaign."</p><p>However, the Capitals did not specify who made the request. The team also did not respond to inquiries regarding whether it was aware of Ovechkin’s participation in advance or if anyone within the organization approved or facilitated it.</p><p>Kocharov noted that Ovechkin resides with his family in Moscow during the offseason and intends to return there after his NHL career. He added that Ovechkin and the Capitals are focused on the upcoming season and his continued impact in Washington.</p><p>Ovechkin has publicly supported Putin for several years, founding "PutinTeam" in 2017 to rally support for the Russian president. His Instagram profile photo features an image of him with Putin.</p><p>Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Ovechkin called for peace but did not criticize Putin, stating, "Well, he is my president. But, like I said, I’m not in politics. I’m an athlete."</p><p>Wilson argues that the Kremlin has a history of using athletes and international sporting achievements to promote the Russian government abroad. He wrote, "An NHL superstar appearing in campaign propaganda for Putin’s political party cannot simply be dismissed as an activity wholly disconnected from the League."</p><p>Wilson also mentioned that the broader United Russia campaign features Maria Lvova-Belova, Russia’s commissioner for children’s rights, who, along with Putin, has arrest warrants issued against her by the International Criminal Court in 2023 for the alleged unlawful deportation and transfer of Ukrainian children from Russian-occupied territory.</p><p>When asked how Ovechkin’s appearance differs from an American athlete supporting a U.S. politician, Wilson responded, "The difference is that the American politician is not a mass murderer."</p><p>He continued, "Now, we can all disagree. There is a right to free speech, of course, but there should also be consequences of being associated in promoting a war criminal."</p><p>Wilson did not specify what those consequences should be. When asked directly if he wanted the NHL to suspend Ovechkin, he again did not provide an answer.</p><p>Wilson mentioned that he is collaborating with Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jim Risch, R-Idaho, who agrees that Ovechkin’s participation "is just not right." However, Wilson did not detail what actions he and Risch intend to pursue.</p><p>Wilson stated that he has not yet received a response from the NHL but is willing to allow the league time to address the issue.</p><p>Throughout the interview, Wilson referred to Putin as a "convicted war criminal," a term he reiterated in his letter. While the ICC has issued arrest warrants for Putin and Lvova-Belova, neither has been convicted by the court.</p><p>The NHL did not respond to inquiries regarding Wilson’s letter, the advertisement, or its policies on political activity by players. Ovechkin did not provide a comment through the Capitals prior to publication.</p><p>Updates will be provided if a response is received from Ovechkin, the NHL, or the Capitals.</p>