Aleksandr Mikhailovich Ovechkin — often referred to by his American nickname “Ovi” — is a citizen and full-time resident of Russia. But he spends each hockey season living in Washington, D.C., under a valid P-1A athlete work visa, where he is famous as the standout star of the Washington Capitals hockey team.

First drafted by the Capitals in 2004, Ovi has spent the past 22 years enjoying the hospitality of the U.S. government and the perks of living in the United States where professional sports pay very well. In fact, he just signed a one-year extension on his contract in the amount of $4,250,000; his current net worth is estimated at $80 million. Not too shabby for a kid from a “crumbling neighborhood” in Moscow. [Source: Wikipedia biography.]

That’s all well and good. At 41, he is still inarguably an incredible athlete; he is in the country legally; and as far as I know, he hasn’t committed any crimes. But . . .

Ovi is not a stupid man. He is undoubtedly well aware that his native country — Russia — and his part-time adopted country — the United States — are at odds over Russia’s war in Ukraine. He must also know that his president, Vladimir Putin, is under sanctions from the U.S. and other countries, as well as being the subject of an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court for war crimes.

One would think that this would place him in a difficult position, torn between two loyalties. Yet he didn’t seem the least bit uncomfortable when he stood behind Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in a political campaign video last week, where the participants gathered to show their support of Putin’s United Russia party — the party that then went on to sweep the Parliamentary elections.

When asked for a comment, Ovechkin told reporters in Arlington, Virginia, on Thursday:

“The thing about video, I’m Russian. As soon as I’m done playing hockey, I’m probably going to stay there. I’m going to live there. My kids going live there [sic]. Family. So I’m for peace and love and I hope everything’s going to be OK. My home is Russia. D.C. is my second home.” [David K. Li, NBC News, September 16, 2026.]

I get it: he loves his native country. That’s natural. And he has tried to keep sports separate from politics, which is also fine.

But how does he justify accepting the benefits of life in an adversarial country for 22 years, only to suddenly break the “no politics” rule by openly backing the party of a president who has carried on a brutal war of attrition against a sovereign nation for nearly five years . . . the same man who arrests, imprisons, tortures, and sometimes kills anyone who openly speaks against him; who carries on a hybrid war against NATO-member countries; and who kidnaps children for “re-education” in Russia?

And more importantly, how does the United States allow him to continue living and working here, raking in millions of U.S. dollars, while clearly supporting Putin’s totalitarian regime?

In the meantime, the Trump administration deports thousands of decent, honest, hard-working immigrants with ordinary jobs and no criminal records, tearing them from their families — knowing that they haven’t the means to fight the system.

If Trump and his ICE goons are looking for someone who has overstayed their welcome, why don’t they look at people like Alex Ovechkin, who clearly aren’t here permanently to build a better life for themselves and their families, and whose only attachment to this country is the opportunity for fame and fortune?

Ovi is far from the only one who fits into this category; but he stood out this week because of his appearance with Sergey Lavrov. If U.S. immigration officials are looking for people to deport, perhaps they’re not looking in the right places.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
9/22/26