Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., is praising the NHL’s response to Alex Ovechkin’s appearance in a campaign advertisement for Vladimir Putin’s United Russia party and urging the Washington Capitals to make clear they do not endorse their captain’s position.
“I am grateful Commissioner Bettman took the opportunity to condemn war criminal Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine,” Wilson said in a statement to OutKick/Fox News Digital.
“At this point the League has done everything reasonable to make it clear they do not endorse the regrettable position held by Mr. Ovechkin. I hope the Capitals organization takes the opportunity to do the same.”
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Rep. Joe Wilson, R-SC (right), praised Gary Bettman’s condemnation of Russia’s invasion but now wants the Washington Capitals to distance themselves from Alex Ovechkin (left). (Getty Images)
In a Sept. 28 letter to the South Carolina Republican, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said Ovechkin participated in the video in a “personal capacity” and reiterated the NHL’s opposition to Russia’s invasion.
“The NHL’s position on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is clear and remains unchanged,” Bettman wrote. “Since the outset of the war, the League has condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and called for a peaceful resolution as quickly as possible.”
Ovechkin’s campaign appearance prompted Wilson’s letter
The controversy centered on a United Russia campaign video featuring Ovechkin standing behind Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Margarita Simonyan, editor-in-chief of Russian state-controlled network RT, also appeared in the advertisement, which aired ahead of Russia’s Sept. 18-20 parliamentary elections.
Wilson sent Bettman a letter Sept. 15, copying Capitals owner Ted Leonsis. He called Ovechkin’s participation “shameful” and asked the league to review the matter.
“American hockey fans deserve better leadership from their star players,” Wilson wrote on social media.
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Wilson wanted the NHL to explain whether it had policies governing active players’ participation in political advertisements for foreign parties or regimes. He also asked the league and Capitals to make clear that Ovechkin’s participation did not represent either organization’s position.
His letter did not request a suspension or fine.
Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals recently appeared in a United Russia campaign ad. (Getty Images)
Bettman’s response drew a distinction between the political activities of individual players and the NHL’s position.
“Mr. Ovechkin is a Russian citizen, and his participation in the video was in his personal capacity,” Bettman wrote.
“The NHL is an international league, with players from many countries who bring with them their own individual views and perspectives. The League does not speak for its players on political matters, just as individual players do not speak for the League.”
Bettman’s letter does not announce disciplinary action or identify a policy governing players’ participation in foreign political advertisements. It also does not say whether the Capitals knew about or approved Ovechkin’s participation.
Wilson wants Capitals to follow suit
In a Sept. 15 statement, the Capitals said Ovechkin was approached about the campaign video during the offseason.
“This summer, while in Russia, he was asked by his country to participate in a video campaign,” Capitals spokesperson Sergey Kocharov said in a statement to Reuters.
Kocharov also noted that Ovechkin lives with his family in Moscow during the offseason and plans to return there after his NHL career.
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman reaffirmed the league’s opposition to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in response to Rep. Joe Wilson’s concerns about Alex Ovechkin’s appearance in a United Russia campaign ad. (Getty Images)
Ovechkin subsequently addressed his participation on Sept. 17.
“Well, they asked me to do that. I said yes,” he said, according to The Washington Post.
Ovechkin has publicly supported Putin for years. In 2017, he launched the PutinTeam movement to rally support for the Russian president. He has also used a photograph of himself with Putin as his Instagram profile picture.
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After Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Ovechkin called for peace while describing himself as an athlete rather than a political figure.
The Capitals’ earlier statement explained that Ovechkin was approached while spending the offseason in Russia. Wilson is now asking the team to make clear that his support for Putin does not represent the organization.