From OutKick · Dan Zaksheske · · 2m
GOP congressman demands NHL address Ovechkin's Putin ad
A South Carolina Republican is pressing the league to explain its policies on players appearing in foreign political campaigns.
In brief
A South Carolina Republican is pressing the league to explain its policies on players appearing in foreign political campaigns. Rep. Joe Wilson wants the NHL to clarify whether it has rules governing players' participation in political ads for foreign regimes, and to distance itself from Ovechkin's appearance in a…
Congressman targets Ovechkin's Putin ad
Rep. Joe Wilson sent NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman a letter Tuesday calling Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin's appearance in a United Russia campaign video "shameful" and asking the league to review the matter.
“shameful”
What Ovechkin did in the ad
Ovechkin does not speak in the United Russia campaign video ahead of Russia's September 18 to 20 parliamentary elections. He stands silently behind Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Wilson's specific demands
Wilson wants the NHL to explain whether it has policies governing active players who appear in political advertisements for foreign parties or regimes, and to clarify that Ovechkin's participation does not represent the league or Capitals.
Wilson compares Putin to Hitler
During a Fox News interview, Wilson said Ovechkin campaigning for Putin is "inconceivable" and called Putin "the new Hitler of the 21st century," arguing there should be consequences for promoting a war criminal.
“For Ovechkin to be campaigning for a person who is indeed the new Hitler of the 21st century, it's just inconceivable.”
Capitals explain the situation
The Capitals said Ovechkin was approached while spending the offseason in Russia and asked by his country to participate in the video campaign. The team did not say who made the request or whether it knew beforehand.
Ovechkin's long Putin support
Ovechkin founded "PutinTeam" in 2017 to rally support for the Russian president, and his Instagram profile photo remains an image of the two men together. After Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, he called for peace but declined to criticize Putin.
Wilson cites ICC arrest warrant
Wilson notes that the broader United Russia campaign features Maria Lvova-Belova, Russia's commissioner for children's rights, for whom the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant in 2023 over alleged unlawful deportation of Ukrainian children.
NHL stays silent so far
The NHL has not responded to questions about Wilson's letter, the advertisement, or its policies governing political activity by players. Ovechkin also did not provide comment through the Capitals.
The takeaway
Rep. Joe Wilson wants the NHL to clarify whether it has rules governing players' participation in political ads for foreign regimes, and to distance itself from Ovechkin's appearance in a Putin party campaign video.
