The letter landed on Gary Bettman’s desk on Wednesday, two days before Russia opens three days of parliamentary voting in which United Russia is on the ballot. Joe Wilson, a South Carolina Republican, told the commissioner and the Capitals owner that the appearance of the league’s all-time goals leader in a Kremlin campaign clip was not something the NHL could treat as a private matter.

“An NHL superstar appearing in campaign propaganda for Putin’s political party cannot simply be dismissed as an activity wholly disconnected from the League,” Wilson wrote in the letter.

What the ad shows

The United Russia video was released ahead of the September 18-20 parliamentary elections. Alex Ovechkin, a Russian citizen who spends the offseason in Moscow, appears in a lineup of Russian officials, military personnel, athletes and celebrities gathered under the tagline “when we are united, we are invincible”.

He stands alongside Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Margarita Simonyan, editor-in-chief of the state-controlled broadcaster RT. The clip also features Maria Lvova-Belova, Russia’s children’s rights commissioner, who is the subject of an International Criminal Court arrest warrant over the alleged unlawful deportation of Ukrainian children.

Read also: Ibrahimovic back in the stands as Amorim faces former club Benfica in Europa League opener

What Wilson is asking Bettman to do

The congressman asked the NHL to review the matter and clarify what policies, if any, govern the participation of active players in political advertisements or propaganda on behalf of dictatorial political parties.

“It is incredibly alarming that [the NHL] and [the Capitals] have allowed Alexander Ovechkin to appear in a campaign advertisement supporting the party of war criminal Putin,” Wilson wrote.

He argued that Ovechkin’s personal political views were not the issue.

“While Mr. Ovechkin has every right to hold personal political views, actively participating in campaign material for Putin’s oppressive party while serving as the captain of an NHL franchise in our nation’s capital raises serious questions about the standards expected of players who represent the League and their communities,” Wilson wrote.

Read also: Skjelmose draws a line in the squad: 'No one can take the Tour leadership from me yet'

The Capitals’ response

A Capitals spokesperson framed the appearance as a request Ovechkin received at home. The captain, the team said, was “asked by his country to participate in a video campaign” while he was in Moscow for the offseason. The franchise did not say who inside United Russia had made the approach, or whether the Capitals had been informed beforehand.

The NHL did not comment on Wilson’s letter or on whether it has any policy covering players who appear in political advertising for foreign parties.

The biggest name in the sport

Ovechkin is not a routine flashpoint. He is the highest-scoring player in NHL history, having passed Wayne Gretzky with his 895th career goal against the New York Islanders on April 6, 2025, a record that had stood since 1999.

Russians begin voting on Friday. United Russia, Vladimir Putin’s political vehicle, holds a supermajority in the outgoing State Duma and is expected to remain the largest party after the count.

Read also: Barcola's first Liverpool league start ends goalless as Fulham take a point at Anfield

Read also: Saudi club fined and ordered to play behind closed doors after fans chant about Diogo Jota's death