The Ukrainian Canadian Congress plans to hold a protest outside the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa on Tuesday evening, when Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals face the Ottawa Senators. The rally, titled «No War Crimes in Ottawa», is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. and targets the Russian forward’s public support for the government of Vladimir Putin.
The organization points to a campaign video released in September in which Ovechkin appeared in support of United Russia, the party tied to Russia’s State Duma elections. The video was linked to those parliamentary elections, and the UCC argues that a player of his profile lending his image to the governing party is a matter of concern for Canadians. In October, the organization’s national president, Alexandra Chyczij, issued a statement criticizing the Russian captain’s actions and describing the National Hockey League’s silence on the matter as a «moral stain» on the league. The UCC has also urged the federal immigration minister to bar Ovechkin from entering Canada, a call it first made in 2022, shortly after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Two federal petitions have addressed the issue, both sponsored by Liberal members of Parliament. The first, sponsored by Yvan Baker, gathered 2,815 signatures. It cites Canadian sanctions imposed on individuals who support the Russian government and notes that Canadian immigration law can render sanctioned individuals inadmissible to the country. The second, backed by Bardish Chagger, drew 649 signatures before it closed on November 5. It asks that Ovechkin be placed on a sanctions list, that restrictions be applied to his assets, and that he face an indefinite ban on entering Canada. The federal government has not made clear how it intends to respond to either petition, leaving the requests unresolved as the Capitals arrive in the capital.
Ovechkin, who has said the coming season will be his last, is one of the most decorated players of his generation. In April 2025 he surpassed Wayne Gretzky’s career goal record, and he now has 930 goals in his career. His record-breaking tenure in the league has made him one of the most recognizable figures in the sport, which is why the dispute has drawn attention beyond hockey circles. The Capitals’ visit to Ottawa therefore places a high-profile player at the centre of a political and diplomatic debate, with the demonstration set to take place outside the arena while the game proceeds inside.
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