Alexander Ovechkin is on course to break Wayne Gretzky’s record for most goals scored in the National Hockey League (NHL). Any hockey fan is aware of this race for the record followed closely by all the sports media. The enthusiasm aroused by this summit among supporters, which until now seemed unattainable and which is now threatened, is such that it screens the characters in this story. Ovechkin, let’s remember, is a fervent defender of the Putin administration and Gretzky is of Polish and Ukrainian descent. Should we be concerned about it? Why does the entertainment industry seem to enjoy political grace from the public?
In 2017, Ovechkin founded the PutinTeam, a social movement in support of the Russian president. Not only would the Russian player have Vladimir Putin’s personal phone number, but the latter would have even sent a wedding gift to the sniper in addition to multiplying public appearances together. These elements seem futile, but they are concrete examples of a strong relationship between a sports personality and an authoritarian president who invaded a sovereign territory with the childish objective of denazifying it.
Asked about his position on the invasion of Ukraine, the noh 8 of the Washington Capitals remained evasive, sticking to condemning the war, but not opposing his good friend Vladimir Putin. Since then, Ovechkin has not been questioned on this issue, but the massacre in Ukraine continues. The diligent coverage of the goalscoring race also continues. The indifference of supporters to the political opinions of their favorite stars continues.
Alexander Ovechkin, like many other hockey players and other public figures, earns his living from public attention, but this one is wearing blinders. We avoid talking about the faults of our heroes and the scandals that affected them because all that matters is to entertain the public. Tony DeAngelo has been reprimanded multiple times in the Ontario Hockey League and NHL for making racist, homophobic and sexist slurs, and here he is 15and leading scorer among defensemen this year. Evander Kane has faced a slew of lawsuits, including for assault but also for unpaid debts to a Las Vegas casino, now he’s playing on the same line as the league’s top player, Connor McDavid.
Contrary to what is expected of our elected politicians, the stars just have to keep quiet to dodge the consequences of their actions. Apply the above scenarios to any elected Canadian politician and, presumably, they would be kicked out of their caucus. However, as much as we would question the competence of an elected official if he acted in this way, we should also question the notoriety and wealth enjoyed by these athletes.
Children idolize these players to the point of wanting to be like them, but they ignore these facts which not only make these heroes human, but also question the legitimacy of their position. Although their performances have taken these athletes to great heights, it is public and media approval that keeps them there. As much as the cancel culture is controversial, since it incites the destruction of careers, the current public responses to controversial positions are inconsistent and insufficient. Above all, there is obviously a duty of accountability on the part of these public figures that remains unfinished.