 |
| Reuters/Ria Novosti |
Alexander Ovechkin is the most high-profile Russian athlete in the United States and, arguably, the world over. Perhaps only a couple of women’s tennis stars – Maria Sharapova, Anna Kournikova – can match his international fame. In the past, the Washington Capitals captain has proclaimed his support for Vladimir Putin, and he is not issuing any condemnations of the tyrant now - bear in mind, this man has family back in Moscow, and crossing Putin comes with severe consequences (putting it mildly.) Treading carefully, he is calling for peace in the region, and that is all that can reasonably be expected of any Russian athlete stationed in western countries. Ovechkin and the rest of these Russian NHL stars are between a rock and a hard place: Blessed with great talent, they are able to come to our shores to make better lives for themselves, and yet they remain at the mercy of a dictator and have to carry the burden of being de facto international ambassadors for their home country whether they want to be or not. Talent, fortune, and fame aside, I do not envy a single one of them at this moment. ESPN -
Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin issued an anti-war statement on Friday in his first comments following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
"Please, no more war. It doesn't matter who is in the war -- Russia, Ukraine, different countries -- we have to live in peace," he said following the Capitals' practice.
Ovechkin, 36, has been an ardent supporter of Russian President Vladimir Putin over the years. In 2017, he campaigned on behalf of Putin by starting a social media movement called Putin Team, writing, "I never made a secret of my attitude toward our president, always openly supporting him." His Instagram profile photo features him posing with Putin.
When asked Friday whether he supports Russia's invasion of Ukraine this week, Ovechkin said, "I'm Russian, right? It's not something I can control. It's not in my hands. I hope it's going to end soon and there's going to be peace in both countries. I don't control this one."
He said the invasion of Ukraine by Russia is "a hard situation" for him.
"Obviously, it's a hard situation. I have lots of friends in Russia and Ukraine, and it's hard to see the war. I hope soon it's going to be over and there's going to be peace in the whole world," he said.
Ovechkin's wife, children and parents have been in Moscow. Ovechkin wouldn't confirm whether his family will stay in Russia. (Read more)
Copyright 2022, Sunking278. Stay up-to-date: Twitter – @Sunking278 and Facebook – click here. DONATIONS - click here.
No comments:
Post a Comment