Alex Ovechkin came out swinging this Thursday, publicly defending his appearance in a video advocating for Russian president Vladimir Putin’s political party. Dude isn’t backing down, telling reporters he stands by his decision, despite all the backlash. And get this: Capitals officials are saying he never even told them he was gonna be in the video before it dropped. What a mess, right?
“I’m Russian and I Support My Country”
Ovechkin, a Moscow native, was front and center with reporters this week, making it crystal clear he wasn’t about to apologize for being in that pro-Putin video. He was right there, standing alongside Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov and other Russian celebrities. “They asked me to do this, and I said yes,” Ovechkin told USA Today. “I’m Russian and I support my country.” Later, chatting with Robert Klemko, he really hammered it home. He’s Russian, he’s gonna live there with his family after he hangs up the skates. “My kids gonna be there. My family’s gonna be there, you know, I support my country. That’s it,” he said. No ambiguity there.
“Surprised” by Backlash and “Not In Politics”? Seriously?
The Caps star tried to pivot, saying he wants “peace and love for everybody,” no matter where they’re from, hoping things get “done soon.” But get this: he told Klemko he shot the video about three weeks ago and was actually “surprised” by all the backlash. Surprised? After briefly talking about the video, he actually tried to shut down reporters, asking for “hockey questions” only. He even tried to claim he’s not “in politics” and can’t “say who’s right and who’s wrong.” “Everybody have their own opinion, right? I’m not a politician, I’m an athlete,” he argued. Klemko then hit him with a tough one: would he support Russia if they were responsible for a genocide? Ovechkin reportedly asked for a translation, then just said, “I hope it’s not gonna, it’s not gonna be like that,” before bailing. Yeah, big yikes.
This whole situation is a bombshell, no doubt about it. Ovechkin is absolutely digging his heels in, talking about his roots and where he plans to settle down. But the kicker? The fact that Capitals officials apparently had zero clue about his plans to appear in that video until it was already out there? That’s a huge disconnect, and it’s gonna have ramifications. You’ve gotta wonder what’s being said behind closed doors right now. This isn’t just about a commercial; it’s about a player’s public stance and how that ripples through a team and the entire league.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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