Ukraine war
The rumbling silence of Russian athletes and their fear of Putin
It’s been a long time: In 2012 Vladimir Putin honored the Russian national ice hockey player Alexander Ovechkin (right), one of the greatest players in history
© Sergei Karpukin / DPA
Some Russian athletes are openly showing their support for Vladimir Putin and the Ukraine war. Although the majority appeals for peace in general, they avoid any criticism of the president – also out of fear.
Two-time Olympic champion Yevgeny Rylov wore a “Z” in the national colors of Russia on his chest next to his medals from Tokyo and sent the message out into the world: “I support the Russian president and the war in Ukraine.” Rylov was among a number of top Russian athletes who took to the stage at the Kremlin’s propaganda event at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium. Putin tried to ensnare the nationalist sentiments of the Russian people with the pompous dictator-style show marking the eighth anniversary of Crimea’s annexation on March 18. After all, a much larger undertaking is on the agenda with the invasion of Ukraine.
Sporting figureheads like Rylov play an important role in the system of autocrat Vladimir Putin. In addition to the swimmer, athletes such as cross-country skier Alexander Bolshunov and figure skater Viktoria Sinitsina performed. At the same time, Russian missiles killed Ukrainian civilians.
Many athletes are now more dependent on the state
Whether all appearances are voluntary is questionable. Many athletes are likely to be more dependent on the state than before due to the exclusion from international competitions and the sanctions, experts suspect, as sponsors canceled contracts en masse. “You have to recognize that the athletes have a certain dependency on the state, state funding agencies and corporations. The principle applies here: don’t bite the hand that feeds you,” says sports sociologist Jan Haut from the University of Wuppertal.
The appearance of swimmer Rylow had an aftermath: The disciplinary committee of the World Swimming Federation investigated him for a possible violation of FINA rules. He also lost his sponsor Speedo. The “Z” he wore, meaning “Za Pobedu” (English: “To victory”), has become the nationalist symbol of Putin and war supporters after it first appeared on Russian tanks and military vehicles in Ukraine. Gymnast Iwan Kuliak was one of the first to sport it, causing an uproar at the World Cup in Doha.
Putin will like the expressions of sympathy. In the past he liked to be photographed with athletes. NHL star Alexander Ovechkin, one of the greatest ice hockey players of all time, can also be found in many photos with him. Ovechkin got involved in the 2017 election campaign and campaigned for support for Putin. Several well-known athletes joined at the time.
Rather call out general peace appeals
The hockey pro, who earns his living with the Washington Capitals, has opted for a popular tactic among Russian athletes: calling for general peace appeals rather than outright condemning the war of aggression. The 36-year-old Russian – now third in the NHL’s all-time top scorer list – demanded: “Please, no more wars. We have to live in peace.” He held back criticism of the Kremlin, saying he was “not a politician”.
Ovechkin has become an object of hatred in the eyes of many NHL fans outside the US capital, and since the outbreak of war he has been regularly whistled at. “He’s my president,” he said in his defence, adding: “I’m not in politics. I’m a sportsman and like I said I hope everything will be done soon. It’s a difficult situation at the moment mutually.”
The Russian tennis elite has also joined the peace squad with the most restrained criticism of the Kremlin. Daniil Medvedev, who is currently fighting for the top of the world rankings with Serbian Novak Djokovic, asked for “peace in the world” a few days after the war began. Andrei Rublew, currently seventh in the world rankings, wrote “Please, no war” in English on the lens of a television camera.
The chess players took a clear stand
Russian soccer star Artyom Dzyuba, son of a Ukrainian father and Russian mother, asked not to be called up for the national team for the time being. Some interpreted this as at least a quiet protest. Dzyuba cannot play in the national team, she has been banned from international games by Fifa.
But why do so few top athletes use their international reputation to be more independent from the Russian state and to take a clearer stand? 44 Russian chess players showed that it was possible – including the up-and-coming Daniil Dubow. Shortly after the beginning of the invasion, they condemned the war in an open letter. “Why they don’t use it, or only use it a little, may have something to do with the fact that it arouses the displeasure of some compatriots and, of course, that many athletes have an ideological affinity with Putin.”
