Ovechkin Campaign Video Draws NHL, Latvia Scrutiny

Washington Capitals captain Alexander Ovechkin defended appearing in a campaign video for United Russia, the party backed by Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying he participated because he is Russian, supports his country and plans to live in Russia after retiring. Filmed during the offseason ahead of Russia’s September parliamentary elections, the video shows Ovechkin alongside officials including Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov; Ovechkin has longstanding ties to Putin and launched the “Putin Team” movement in 2017. The Capitals said they knew about his participation and regarded his political activities as separate from his NHL role, while the league has largely declined to comment. Republican Rep. Joe Wilson called the appearance shameful and urged NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman to clarify whether league policies apply to players endorsing foreign political parties, particularly amid Russia’s war against Ukraine. Latvia later declared Ovechkin persona non grata, prompting renewed criticism from some fans even as others continue to celebrate his record-setting career.