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Dominik Hasek was frank on the invasion of Russia on Ukraine, and he naturally received the return of country leaders.
But he came to the point where the legendary NHL goalkeeper said that former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev had published death threats.
Hasek, who currently lives in the Czech Republic, said in a post X that he had sent “official letters” to the two officials of the International Olympic Committee and the International Ice Hockey Federation to “inform them that … Medvedev threatened to kill me”.
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Detroit’s Red Wings goalkeeper Dominik Hasek (39) stops during the first period of the match against the Chicago Black Hawks in Joe Louis Arena. (Leon Halip-USA Sport today)
“In addition, among others, I point out to what extent their decisions will be important in the coming months and once again offer help to create rules so that sports competitions are not an advertisement for the Russian war and people do not die because of them,” said Hasek. “I consider the two very important letters not only for the IOC and the IIHF, but for the whole of the sports and non -sporting community. Consequently, I will publish them in a few days.”
Medvedev, who is currently deputy chief of the Russian Security Council, chaired by President Vladimir Putin, said through his assistant that Hasek suffered from “Russophobia”, should be careful when crossing the roads and should not drink beer in unaccompanied places.
Hasek was a vocal critic of war and the participation of Russian athletes during international competitions and leagues, including NHL, affirming that the promotion of war against Ukraine and allows human suffering.
The goalkeeper of the Dominik Hasek renown temple, Buffalo sabers, is presented at ceremonies to withdraw his number 39 before their match against the Detroit Red Wings on January 13, 2015 at the First Niagara Center in Buffalo, New York. (Photo of Bill Wippert / NHLI via Getty Images)
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Shortly after the invasion, Hasek pleaded for the NHL and the Olympic Games to prohibit the Russians from playing, unless they spoke against war. Recently, as Alex Ovechkin was on the way to beat Wayne Gretzky’s goal record, he called Ovechkin, a long -standing supporter of Putin, a “huge advertising war and other Russian crimes”.
In a later article written in Russian, Hasek thanked those who support him.
“I would like to thank everyone, without exception, who supported me after the repeated threats of the former Russian president Medvedev. I really appreciate it. It also gives me the strength to continue this very important work, whose main goal is to save human lives. His words are the contempt for human life and I am very happy that you condemn such actions. Thank you again,” he posted.
Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said on X that such threats are “absolutely unacceptable”. He added that they were not surprising but cannot be ignored because Medvedev is not a private person.
“Medvedev behaves once again as a primitive,” said Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský said on Wednesday. “This time, attacking the NHL NHL Dominik Hasek simply for having said the truth – the truth about the war of Russia and the abusive use of sports to promote it. Such bullying can be normal in Putin’s Russia, not in the civilized world!”
January 13, 2015; Buffalo, NY, United States; Buffalo saber the former goalkeeper Dominik Hasek goes to the crowd while he took the ice during his ceremony to remove his number before a match against the Detroit Red Wings at the first Niagara Center. (Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY SPORTS)
In his comments on the file, Medvedev said that Hasek’s suicide could be expected.
Hasek was a winner of the NHL All-Star and the Vezina Award six times. He won two Stanley cups during his career.
