Russian player’s induction into Hockey Hall of Fame ‘deeply offensive’: UCC

The planned induction of a former Detroit Red Wings player into the Hockey Hall of Fame has sparked controversy due to his alleged involvement in an event supporting Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) is protesting the induction of retired NHL player and ex-Olympic champion Pavel Datsyuk, calling the decision "deeply offensive." The UCC expressed its objections in a Facebook post earlier this month, arguing that Datsyuk should neither be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame nor be permitted entry into Canada for the ceremony later this year.

The group cited reports from Russian media claiming that Datsyuk attended a February event honoring Russian soldiers who participated in the war against Ukraine. They also accused him of being a "long-standing" supporter of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"Datsyuk’s evident participation in an event honoring individuals involved in the genocide of a nation signifies his endorsement of Russia’s invasion, the terror Russia has brought to Ukrainian cities and towns, and the systemic, brutal atrocities that Russia has committed against Ukrainian civilians," the UCC stated in an Aug. 8 announcement on its website.

The UCC has raised its concerns in letters to both the president of the Hockey Hall of Fame and the Canadian federal government.

Jeff Denomme, president and CEO of the Hockey Hall of Fame, responded by stating that Datsyuk’s selection was based on "his individual accomplishments on the ice" and that it would be unfair to hold him accountable for Russia's actions in Ukraine.

"To be clear, the Hockey Hall of Fame condemns the Russian Federation’s actions in Ukraine. But we do not hold Mr. Datsyuk responsible for those actions, and we believe it would be unjust were we to do so," Denomme said in an email to Global News.

An invitation has been extended to Datsyuk for the induction ceremony, scheduled for Nov. 11 in Toronto.

The UCC also wrote to Immigration Minister Marc Miller and Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly on July 30, urging them to deny Datsyuk's visa application if he applies to enter Canada.

Global News reached out to Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland's office for comment. Freeland, who has Ukrainian heritage and has been a vocal critic of Putin, is a Toronto-area MP. Her office referred the inquiry to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

While IRCC declined to comment on the specific case due to privacy reasons, spokesperson Isabelle Dubois stated that the agency is "committed to the fair and robust application of immigration procedures" and that visa applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis, regardless of the applicant's country of origin.

The Hockey Hall of Fame will induct seven individuals on Nov. 11 in Toronto. Along with Datsyuk, the 2024 inductees include Canadians Shea Weber and Colin Campbell, Americans Natalie Darwitz, Jeremy Roenick, and Krissy Wendell, and Canadian-American David Poile.

The issue of how to handle athletes who support Putin or Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has become a contentious topic in the international sports community.

For example, Washington Capitals player Alex Ovechkin has openly supported Putin, even launching a social media movement three years after Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea. In 2022, when questioned about the invasion of Ukraine, Ovechkin kept Putin's image in his social media profile and referred to him as "my president" while also stating, "please, no more war."

In response to the invasion, the NHL suspended business partnerships and other activities in Russia in 2022, expressing concern for the "well-being" of Russian players in the league.

Athletes from Russia and its ally Belarus who do not "actively support" the war in Ukraine were allowed to compete under a "neutral" flag at the 2024 Paris Olympics and the ongoing Paralympics.