Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin’s appearance in a Russian political campaign video has drawn fresh political scrutiny, as U.S. Representative Joe Wilson praises NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman’s handling of the controversy while urging the hockey club to distance itself from the star player’s actions.
Rep. Joe Wilson Praises NHL Response to Ovechkin Video
U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., expressed gratitude to NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman for condemning Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. In a statement reported by OutKick and Fox News Digital, Wilson acknowledged the league’s efforts to clarify its stance. “I am grateful Commissioner Bettman took the opportunity to condemn war criminal Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine,” Wilson said. “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.”
Bettman Distinguishes Between Individual Players and League Policy
The political controversy centers on a United Russia campaign advertisement featuring Ovechkin standing behind Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. The video also included Margarita Simonyan, editor-in-chief of Russian state-controlled network RT, airing ahead of Russia’s parliamentary elections. In response to a September 15 letter from Wilson, Bettman sent a September 28 letter explaining the league’s position. “Mr. Ovechkin is a Russian citizen, and his participation in the video was in his personal capacity,” Bettman wrote, noting that the international league features players from many countries with individual views.
Capitals and Ovechkin Address Offseason Campaign Appearance
Following initial criticism from Wilson—who called the participation “shameful” in a letter that copied Capitals owner Ted Leonsis—the Washington Capitals addressed the matter publicly. A Capitals spokesperson, Sergey Kocharov, stated to Reuters that Ovechkin was approached about the video while spending the offseason in Russia. Ovechkin subsequently told The Washington Post regarding his appearance, “Well, they asked me to do that. I said yes.” Ovechkin has a documented history of support for Putin, including launching the PutinTeam movement in 2017.
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