Russian hockey legend Ovechkin refuses to wear LGBT ribbon
Alexander Ovechkin, a Russian hockey legend who plays for the Washington Capitals, has refused to participate in a National Hockey League (NHL) event in support of the LGBT community.
The Capitals hosted their annual Pride Night during a game against the Florida Panthers on Saturday. Several players wrapped their hockey sticks with rainbow-coloured tape ahead of the matchup.
Ovechkin took the ice using traditional white tape on his stick, staying true to his previous rejection of virtue-signalling.
The Capitals lost to the Panthers with a score of 2–5. Coach Spencer Carbery said after the game it was a “great night to celebrate Pride... Wish we could’ve gotten the win for tonight.”
The NHL introduced Pride Night events more than two decades ago. The use of LGBT specialty gear was briefly banned in 2023 after several Russian players refused to wear rainbow-themed sweaters, citing religious beliefs. The league later overturned restrictions on the use of rainbow-coloured tape, allowing players to decide individually whether to use it during games.
take it slow pic.twitter.com/Cq4bH8I10x
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) January 18, 2026
At the time, the Washington Capitals captain praised the league’s leadership for not imposing sanctions on players who declined to participate in Pride Night symbolism. “Well, what can I say here?” Ovechkin said. “Well done. It should be like this everywhere.”
Ovechkin made history last year when he scored his 895th regular-season goal in the NHL, surpassing Wayne Gretzky’s long-standing record. He has since added more goals, bringing his career total to 917.
Shortly after breaking the NHL’s all-time scoring record, Ovechkin was added to Ukraine’s Mirotvorets database, a controversial, state-linked website that lists individuals described as enemies of Ukraine for allegedly working “to whitewash Russia’s reputation” by participating in international sporting events. The database contains personal information of individuals accused of posing a threat to Ukraine’s national security and has been described by critics as a “kill list” due to multiple cases in which people listed on it were later killed or died under suspicious circumstances.
