Ukrainians in Canada protested in Ottawa over Alexander Ovechkin's visit

Members of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress held a protest outside the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa on November 10, speaking out against the visit of Russian hockey player Alexander Ovechkin. It was his first game in Canada this season, according to CBC.

 

Protesters expressed outrage that the National Hockey League continues to honor the athlete despite his public support for the Russian government. Mike Rindzak, a member of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, emphasized that life goes on as usual for the Russian hockey player, while Russia’s war against Ukraine continues to claim lives and destroy cities.

“This is absolutely unacceptable. This is a war. The destruction and devastation are happening right now, and for them, it’s business as usual. I see tremendous support from ordinary Canadians. That means a lot to me,” Rindzak said.

Back in October, the Ukrainian Canadian Congress called on the government to ban Ovechkin from entering the country. The organization’s president, Oleksandra Khychiy, stated that, in her opinion, the NHL is ignoring the hockey player’s support for the Russian government, but this does not absolve the Canadian government of its responsibility to enforce the law. She also called for Ovechkin and other supporters of Russian aggression against Ukraine to be added to the sanctions list.

The criticism was prompted, in particular, by the athlete’s participation in campaign videos for Vladimir Putin’s “United Russia” party. These videos also featured Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Maria Lvova-Belova, whom the International Criminal Court suspects of involvement in the illegal deportation of Ukrainian children.

Commenting on his appearance in the campaign materials, Ovechkin stated that he supports Russia and plans to live there with his family. At the same time, the hockey player emphasized that he advocates for peace, has Ukrainian friends, and does not consider himself a politician who can determine who is right in the war.

As a reminder, Ovechkin appeared in a video supporting “United Russia” ahead of the elections in Russia.

Earlier, Latvia banned Ovechkin and Kremlev from entering the country.

The NHL has banned Putin-aligned hockey player Ovechkin from giving interviews in Russia.