The world according to Jim:
• That world? It’s a scarier place today than it was even a few days ago. The ramifications of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have already been felt in sports, and we might have just scratched the surface.
But maybe sports organizations and federations are more proactive at this point because they can afford to be. …
• UEFA moved its Champions League final from St. Petersburg, Russia, to Paris, to be played on May 28, and also declared Friday that any soccer matches it organizes involving Russian teams, club or national – including upcoming World Cup qualifiers – will be played outside of Russia. Formula One canceled the Russian Grand Prix, scheduled for Sept. 25 in Sochi. The International Chess Federation is moving its “Chess Olympiad,” scheduled for July 26-Aug. 8, out of Moscow. Skiing, water polo, artistic swimming and tennis events have been moved or scrubbed.
• Amazingly, the normally feckless IOC – speaking up after UEFA and Formula One made their decisions – encouraged sports bodies to cancel or move all events scheduled for Russia or Belarus and to stop using the countries’ flags and anthems.
Of course, there are no TV rights fees to worry about for a couple of years, so the IOC can afford to look like it’s acting tough. Honestly, I’d feel better about this if the IOC hadn’t catered to the Russians the last three Olympics in the face of state-sponsored doping scandals. …
• The energy company Gazprom – basically an arm of the Russian government – has had one soccer team sponsorship pulled, after second-division German side Schalke removed its name and logo from its jerseys. UEFA itself has a sponsorship deal with Gazprom, and lawyers are said to be discussing how to end that partnership. Meanwhile, Manchester United ended its deal with the Russian state airline Aeroflot, although that was kind of a no-brainer once the United Kingdom banned that carrier from flying in its air space. …
• But how far are sports entities, or sports fans, willing to go? Will we see boycotts or demonstrations aimed at, for example, Premier League sides owned or influenced by Russian oligarchs? Those elites – including Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, who could face government sanctions in the UK – are by extension cronies of Vladimir Putin, since you don’t get to be rich or elite in that society without the imprimatur (or assistance) of the president. …
• FIFA itself is tainted, since president Gianni Infantino accepted an Order of Friendship medal from Putin in 2019 and has been effusive in his praise of the Russian leader. Offered an opportunity to walk that back when asked about it during a news conference on Thursday, Infantino offered a word salad that basically boiled 112 words down to “thoughts and prayers” directed at Ukraine and little else.
Video asking FIFA President Gianni Infantino if he’ll retain the Order of Friendship medal given to him by Vladimir Putin and if he has any regrets about praising the Russian leader so strongly in recent years, especially when the initial invasion of Ukraine happened in 2014 pic.twitter.com/Uf9aHmTWuq
— Rob Harris (@RobHarris) February 24, 2022
Would FIFA remove Russia from this year’s World Cup if it qualifies? That would take courage I’m not sure that organization has. …
• We have heard from Alex Ovechkin, at least. The Washington Capitals’ Russian star, an unabashed supporter of Putin in the past, was shielded from the media on Thursday before and after the Capitals’ loss to the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden, but he spoke Friday after practice for four minutes. “Please, no more war,” Ovechkin said. “It doesn’t matter who is in the war – Russia, Ukraine, different countries, I think we live in a world, like, we have to live in peace and a great world.”
Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin media availability after practice in Philadelphia. pic.twitter.com/y2gxFpV3CL
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) February 25, 2022
Also, when asked if he still supported Putin, Ovechkin replied: “Well, he is my president. But … I am not in politics. I am an athlete.”
In fairness, what else would you expect him to say? His wife, children and parents are still in Moscow. …
• But the real heroes are those willing to speak up and speak out knowing their words could anger Putin and lead to retribution. For instance, the Russian national soccer team’s Fedor Smolov posted on Instagram “No war,” with a broken heart emoji, a post that had drawn more than 127,000 likes as of Friday afternoon. …
• This qualifies, too: Former heavyweight champions Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko vowed to take up arms and fight for their native Ukraine. Vitali, who has been the mayor of Kyiv since 2014, told a UK television reporter: “I don’t have another choice, I have to do that. I’ll be fighting.” …
• WNBA players who spend the wintertime playing in Ukraine are now out of that country, a league spokesperson has told USA Today. As for the significant number who play in Russia, the league has been “in contact” with them or their agents. We’ve talked of the consequences of players having to play winters overseas because that’s where the money is, but who among them would have imagined these circumstances?
• Weirdly, I am again reminded of an incident early in Putin’s presidency, when he had an audience with American businessmen including New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft in 2005. As the story goes, Kraft was wearing a Super Bowl ring and was encouraged to show it to Putin. Kraft took it off and handed it to him, Putin admired it, tried it on, and then pocketed it and walked out of the room.
New details about the time Vladimir Putin stole Robert Kraft’s Super Bowl ring in Jeff Benedict’s new book, “The Dynasty” pic.twitter.com/yDvZhGAO7N
— Kendall Baker (@kendallbaker) September 10, 2020
Supposedly, Kraft was persuaded by the Bush Administration to say publicly that it was a gift, but he recanted that years later. And really, is any further comment necessary when you consider who he was dealing with?
@Jim_Alexander on Twitter
Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin, an unabashed supporter of Russian president Vladimir Putin in the past, spoke Friday after practice for four minutes. “Please, no more war,” Ovechkin said. “It doesn’t matter who is in the war – Russia, Ukraine, different countries, I think we live in a world, like, we have to live in peace and a great world.” (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)