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NHL Hall of Famer Bashes Olympics for Russia's Participation

All-time NHL great Dominik Hasek made his thoughts on Russian participation at the 2024 Summer Olympics known.

Nick Horwat

Jan 13, 2015; Buffalo, NY, USA; Buffalo Sabres former goalie Dominik Hasek waves to the crowd as he takes the ice during his ceremony to get his number retired prior to a game against the Detroit Red Wings at First Niagara Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 13, 2015; Buffalo, NY, USA; Buffalo Sabres former goalie Dominik Hasek waves to the crowd as he takes the ice during his ceremony to get his number retired prior to a game against the Detroit Red Wings at First Niagara Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports / Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports

The 2024 Summer Olympics are set to kick off in Paris, but one of the NHL’s greatest all-time goalies is letting his thoughts on the event be known. Hall of Fame goalie Dominik Hasek took to Twitter on the morning of the opening ceremonies to condemn the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for allowing Russia to participate.

Hasek noted the recent actions of the Russian government and their invasion of and war with Ukraine as a primary reason to ban Russian athletes.

“Unfortunately, many Russian athletes who have never (officially) condemned the Russian imperialist war and Russian crimes can participate in the Olympic Games,” Hasek tweeted. “Their participation (public appearance) will be a huge advertisement for the actions of the Russian country.”

Hasek went on to say that the Olympics will have direct responsibility for the loss of lives due to Russian participation in Paris.

In the lengthy tweet, Hasek noted that he does not blame the Russian athletes for the actions of their government but instead aims at multiple governmental organizations and the IOC.

“I blame it and the responsibility for it lies with the French legislators who allowed Russian citizens to speak publicly on their territory,” Hasek said. “I blame the officials of the IOC for this, who could have banned this war advertisement. And I blame the members of the EU parliament for this, who could (I think) also have banned the entry and public appearance of Russian citizens on EU territory.”

Ever since Russia spurred its war with Ukraine, the IOC has technically banned the country from the Olympics. They did not, however, ban the athletes themselves.

Competitors have been competing under the neutral Olympic flag as the Olympic Athletes of Russia. Something similar will continue in 2024 as numerous Russian and Belarusian athletes will compete as “Individual Neutral Athletes.”

The Russia and Belarus flags will not be flown at the 2024 Summer Games, and no anthems will be played for those countries.

Hasek was born in Pardubice, Czechoslovakia, and represented his home country four times at the Winter Olympics. Twice a medalist, including gold in 1998, Hasek represented Czechoslovakia/Czech Republic in 1988, 1998, 2002, and 2006.

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Nick Horwat
NICK HORWAT

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