Olympic Games: Alex Ovechkin wants the Russians to return

Sport and politics, though often linked, dont always mix.

Particularly when politics influences international tournaments, as is currently the case with the suspension of Russia (and Belarus) from most sporting competitions since 2022 in connection with the invasion of Ukraine.

The problem is that the first to be punished are usually the athletes who cant take part in these championships, even though they generally have no say in their home countrys policies.

And if the 4 Nations Confrontation has shown us anything, its that hockey players really do take it to heart to represent their homeland.

Today, we learn from an article published on RDS that Alex Ovechkin would like to see Russians allowed to take part in international competitions such as the Olympic Games and World Championships.

Alex Ovechkin calls for Russians to return to world sports competitionshttps://t.co/SSOKHVIqmQ RDS (@RDSca) July 19, 2025 Its a frustrating situation indeed for the NHLs all-time leading scorer, who has never made a secret of his pride in being Russian and would like to have more opportunities to defend his countrys colors before retiring.

In fact, while there were many signs that next season could be Ovys last, the player himself denied the rumours .

However, even if he does decide to continue his career, be it in the NHL or KHL, there may not yet be tons of seasons left to give for the 39-year-old.

As the Russians wont be at the Olympic Games this winter, its quite possible that we wont see Ovechkin playing Olympic hockey again until he retires.

That may leave him with the World Championships if Russias ban ends by then.

Its all the more frustrating for Ovechkin because, at the moment, the Russians have a very strong team on paper that could claim top honors.

We know that some Russian athletes have been able to take part in international competitions under a neutral banner, notably at the Paris Olympics in 2024.

But these are mostly, if not exclusively, exceptions in individual sports.

Lets just say its more complicated to have 20 Russian field hockey players play under a neutral banner and really give an impression of neutrality.

Whats more, the invited athletes must not have shown their support for the Russian offensive in Ukraine.

And that could be a problem for Ovechkin, who is close to Vladimir Putin, regularly appearing with him in public before and after the start of the war.

Although Ovechkin has never publicly spoken out in support of or against the conflict, his support for the Russian president could well hurt him if the Russian national hockey team gets special permission in the near future.

Overtime Read more.

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