Report: Russian NHLers concerned about visa status as sanctions continue to mount

Russia’s continued invasion of Ukraine has led several NHL players, teams and their representatives to reach out to immigration lawyers about considering how to apply for asylum or permanent residency in North America, TSN’s Rick Westhead reports.

Russia launched a series of aerial, land and naval offensives against Ukraine beginning on Feb. 24 and is facing increased sanctions from the U.S. and Canadian governments.

Canada also sanctioned Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich, who announced on March 2 that he would be selling Premier League club Chelsea. As a result of sanctions placed on him by the U.K. government, he will not be allowed to profit from the impending sale.

As new sanctions continue to be applied against Russia, NHL players are reportedly concerned that their visas may not be renewed and are questioning what Russia’s unrelenting offensive could mean in regards to how visas may or may not be granted to foreign workers in the near future.

In an email obtained by Westhead, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada spokesperson Aidan Strickland wrote the following:

At this time, there are no special immigration measures for Russian nationals. Russian nationals can continue to apply through our regular immigration pathways, pending approval on all admissibility requirements. If Russian nationals in Canada choose to claim asylum, those individuals’ claims will be fully assessed by the Immigration and Refugee Boards independent administrative tribunal, as is done with all claims for protection within Canada.

While many Russian players are increasingly concerned about their immigration and residency status within North America, Washington Capitals forward Alexander Ovechkin also remains entrenched in controversy due to his historical and ongoing support of Russian president Vladimir Putin.

Ovechkin notably launched a 2017 initiative to generate support for the president’s re-election bid. During a media availability on Feb. 25, Ovechkin called for an end to the war, but didn’t necessarily disavow himself of his ardent support of Putin and, by extension, the Russian government.

“He's my president. But how I said, I'm not in politics, like I'm an athlete. How I said, (I) hope everything is gonna be done soon. It's a hard situation right now for both sides,” Ovechkin told reporters at the time.

Perhaps more pointedly, while Putin faces almost universal condemnation for escalating the war against Ukraine, Ovechkin has yet to change his Instagram profile picture — a photo of him smiling and making a peace sign while standing next to the Russian president.

David Shoalts of The New York Times reported that Ovechkin — whose family remains in Russia — faced social media backlash from supporters of the invasion, and was advised not to change his profile photo due to concerns about how it would be received in his home country.

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