GOP Congressman Demands NHL Review Ovechkin's Role in Putin Campaign Ad

Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., has called on NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman to review Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin's appearance in a campaign advertisement for the Vladimir Putin-backed United Russia party, deeming the participation "shameful."

Wilson sent a letter to Bettman on Tuesday, with Capitals owner Ted Leonsis copied, urging the league to investigate the matter. Ovechkin does not speak in the advertisement, but appears alongside Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Margarita Simonyan, editor-in-chief of the Russian state-controlled network RT, in a video supporting United Russia ahead of the country's parliamentary elections.

"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," Wilson wrote in the letter. He is asking the NHL to clarify if it has policies governing active players appearing in political advertisements for foreign parties or regimes and to ensure that Ovechkin's participation does not represent the league or team's position.

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!"

During an interview with Fox News, Wilson elaborated on his concerns, stating, "For Ovechkin to be campaigning for a person who is indeed the new Hitler of the 21st century, it’s just inconceivable." When asked if he had advance knowledge of the advertisement, Wilson indicated he was unsure.

The Capitals issued a statement through spokesperson Sergey Kocharov, explaining that Ovechkin was approached while spending the offseason in Russia and "was asked by his country to participate in a video campaign." The team did not specify who made the request or whether the organization was aware of or approved Ovechkin's participation beforehand. Kocharov added that Ovechkin lives with his family in Moscow during the offseason and plans to return there after his NHL career, and that both Ovechkin and the Capitals are focused on the upcoming season.

Ovechkin has a history of public support for Putin, having founded "PutinTeam" in 2017 to rally support for the Russian president. His Instagram profile picture remains an image of the two men together. Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Ovechkin called for peace but stated, "He is my president. But, like I said, I’m not in politics. I’m an athlete."

Wilson argued that the Kremlin has a history of using athletes to promote the Russian government abroad and that an NHL superstar's appearance in campaign propaganda cannot be dismissed as disconnected from the league. He also noted that the 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, along with Putin, over the alleged unlawful deportation and transfer of Ukrainian children.

Wilson distinguished Ovechkin's situation from an American athlete supporting a U.S. politician by stating, "The difference is that the American politician is not a mass murderer." He added, "There is a right to free speech, of course, but there should also be consequences of being associated in promoting a war criminal." Wilson did not specify what these consequences should entail, nor did he directly answer when asked if he wanted the NHL to suspend Ovechkin.

Wilson mentioned that he is working with Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jim Risch, R-Idaho, who he said agrees that Ovechkin's participation "is just not right." The congressman stated he has not yet received a response from the NHL but is willing to allow the league time to reply. Wilson repeatedly referred to Putin as a "convicted war criminal," though the ICC has issued arrest warrants but not yet secured convictions.

The NHL did not respond to questions regarding Wilson's letter, the advertisement, or its policies on player political activity. Ovechkin also did not provide a comment through the Capitals prior to publication.