Fedotov, who helped CSKA Moscow to the title last season and was named the KHL’s best goaltender, was arrested in early July and charged with evading military service due to his involvement in the NHL, where he signed a contract with Philadelphia. He was sent to Murmansk, where he began military service. But he wanted to fight against the decision in court.
The 25-year-old Russian appealed to the city court in Sievesko, demanding that the decision on his military service be declared illegal. However, Fedotov has now withdrawn his appeal and the case is closed. This was reported by the Russian news agency TASS.
“Goalkeeper Ivan Fedotov dropped the lawsuit in the case of his conscription into the army.”
Per Alexey Shevchenko.
— Karl Månsson (@karl_khl) September 20, 2022
Judge Natalia Korblevova said on Tuesday that Fedotov cannot appeal again. Journalist Karl Månsson, who covers events in the KHL, said on his Twitter that the appeal was the last option that would allow Fedotov to get to the NHL. This is how it will stay in Russia in the near future.
One theory discussed by Russian journalists is to wait for Philadelphia to freeze his contract, then to sort out the papers to activate him in the KHL. Then to trade him from CSKA, to possibly SKA.
But that remains a theory so far. https://t.co/i3YAycpJFa
— Karl Månsson (@karl_khl) September 20, 2022
“One of the theories that Russian journalists are talking about is to wait until Philadelphia freezes his contract and then do the paperwork for him to be in the KHL. Then he could be traded to CSKA or SKA,” wrote Månsson. By working in one of the Russian clubs, he would be exempt from military service.