“You are fully responsible for the irreversible damage caused by the Russian military in Ukraine, including wasted lives. In an effort to curb the war in Ukraine, former NHL goaltender Dominik Hašek is calling on major sports organizations to ban Russian athletes from participating in their competitions.
In a long open letter made public on Wednesday afternoon, the former Czech goalkeeper addresses the owners, managers and members of the NHL, the WTA, the ATP as well as “other professional sports leagues, federations and organizations around the world.
Describing the Russian invasion which began on February 24, 2022 in Ukraine and which continues to this day, the 57-year-old man deplores the “tens of thousands, possibly hundreds of thousands of lives lost”, recalling that “soldiers Russians are committing war crimes, including torturing and killing civilians”. “Russia is even expelling thousands of Ukrainian children from their country of origin, thus committing genocide,” he adds.
“But what is your attitude towards this aggressive war? Asks the former star goalkeeper to sports organizations.
To date, I have neither read nor heard from you an unequivocal condemnation of Russian aggression, including the crimes committed. By tolerating the participation of Russian athletes, every competition you organize knowingly donates billions of dollars to Russia to publicize its aggressive policy.
Dominik Hasek
Dominik Hašek then insists on the fact that each citizen, “and therefore each athlete”, represents his country, recalling that “each athlete has enormous publicity value for this country”.
“The fact that you have done nothing, after almost 300 days of war, and that you continue to tolerate the participation of Russian athletes in your competitions (giving Russia several billions in publicity for the implementation of its aggressive policy), seems inexcusable to me, writes Hašek. You are therefore fully responsible for the irreversible damage caused by the Russian army in Ukraine, including wasted lives. »
According to the ex-athlete, preventing Russian athletes from taking part in international competitions would not be a “sanction” against them, but rather a way of “encouraging the end of this war and, thus, saving tens of thousands of lives, including their fellow soldiers, who have been recruited to fight”.
To the organizations that respond to his request, Hašek asks them to offer “maximum support” to Russian athletes “in these difficult times for them”. “This should take the form of financial support not only for each athlete, but also for their family, including quality health insurance. This should be easily achievable in conjunction with the NHLPA, and I think the WTA and ATP can solve this problem as well. »
He also mentions the importance of educating Russian athletes, using historical facts, on the reasons why they will not be able to take part in competitions.
“Above all, we can teach them what they can do as Russian citizens to end the war as soon as possible, save as many lives as possible and start competing with us again. »
The Czech recalls at the same time that it is “the biggest conflict in Europe since the Second World War”.
Many of you are very far from that and are not forced to live in fear of [perdre] their relatives. You don’t feel it as intensely as people in the countries bordering Ukraine, who know that if Ukraine falls, Russia will most likely attack them as well.
Dominik Hasek
At the end of his missive, Hašek says he is “convinced that so much can still be corrected”.
“If the saying that even the greatest sport in the world is not worth more than a human life applies to you, I have no doubt that you will make the right decision and contribute to a faster end to the conflict. and, in turn, that you will save thousands of lives. »