Two-time Stanley Cup winner and Olympic hockey champion Dominik Hasek wrote an open letter to the leadership of the NHL, ATP and WTA urging the Russians to be removed from the competition.
Dominik HasekThe Czech ex-hockey player believes that sports organizations should reconsider their attitude towards the aggressor.
"I have written an open letter to draw the world's attention to how certain sporting events are now contributing to the military unrest in Europe, which is claiming hundreds, even thousands of lives every day.
This is an attempt to save these lives and hasten the end of the war in Ukraine. Russian athletes should not participate in international competitions at this time. I ask all sports leagues in the world to consider this decision.
On February 24, 2022, the Russian army entered the territory of Ukraine. This offensive war. Its goal, as stated by the Russian leadership itself, is to seize additional territories.
This is confirmed by the falsified referendums in the territories of Ukraine conquered by Russia. Russia abused these illegal votes to formally annex the conquered territories.
We do not know exactly how many Ukrainian soldiers and civilians died as a result of Russian aggression. This is at least tens of thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands of dead. The Russian military has been documented destroying civilian buildings and civilian infrastructure across Ukraine, leaving tens of millions of people without electricity and gas and at risk of freezing in the coming months.
Russian soldiers commit war crimes, including torturing and killing civilians. Russia even deports thousands of Ukrainian children from their native country and thereby commits genocide.
Russia must bear full responsibility for all its horrific crimes. After the victory of Ukraine and the withdrawal of Russian troops from its territory, Russia will have to pay for the economic damage caused by it on foreign territory. Unfortunately, hundreds of thousands of lost lives, including many children, cannot be returned to anyone.
This is a summary of the current situation. But what is your attitude towards this aggressive war? To date, I have not read or heard anywhere from you an unequivocal condemnation of Russian aggression, including the crimes committed.
Endorsing the participation of Russian athletes, every competition you organize knowingly donates billions of dollars to Russia to publicize its aggressive policies.
It is a fact that every citizen, and therefore every athlete, represents his country. Therefore, each athlete has a huge advertising and marketing value for this country. Each state uses this to its advantage to advance its interests and goals.
By allowing Russian players to participate in your competitions, you decided to support all this.
The fact that you, after almost 300 days of war, did nothing and continue to tolerate the participation of Russian athletes in your competitions (giving Russia multi-billion dollar advertising to implement its aggressive policy), I consider it unforgivable.
Thus, you are fully responsible for the irreversible damage caused by the Russian army in Ukraine, including for lost lives.
I want to believe that in the near future you will decide to stop supporting the war in Ukraine and will not allow Russian athletes to advertise the aggressive policy of Russia in their competitions, as most federations in the world have decided", - wrote Hasek.
The world tennis leadership (ATP and WTA) allows athletes from the Russian Federation to compete in a neutral status. Hockey players of the Russian national team continue to play in the NHL.
