Olympic Champion Dominik Hašek Warns of Russian Propaganda Boost at Paris 2024

Expressing profound concerns over the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes as neutral competitors at the Paris 2024 Olympics, Czech ice hockey Olympic champion Dominik Hašek raised alarm bells regarding the potential exploitation of the Games for propaganda purposes.

In an interview with Ukraine’s Suspilne Culture, Hašek criticized the decision, asserting that it presents an unprecedented opportunity for Russian authorities to advance their propaganda agenda.

“This is the worst possible decision,” Hašek stated. “It’s a massive effort by the Russian government, Putin, and everyone else to regain Russia’s support. You can’t imagine how much it is if you convert it into money,” the two-time Stanley Cup champion emphasized. “It’s tens or hundreds of billions of dollars. It’s just an incredible boost to their propaganda.”

“Allowing Russian athletes to participate in the Olympics is the same as if we sent them a thousand planes and a thousand tanks, or maybe even more,” he emphasized.

This outspoken criticism from Hašek follows his previous condemnation of Russian NHL players expressing regret for not representing Russia in international tournaments. Responding to an article in The Athletic, Hašek confronted Russian players directly, questioning the morality of supporting a country responsible for significant human suffering.

“And is it fair to kill and maim hundreds of thousands of people on the territory of another country? Do you really want to represent a terrorist country like Russia? If so, then you are a supporter of Russian fascism and are responsible for the deaths of these people,” Hašek challenged.

The Paris 2024 Olympics are set to take place from July 26 to August 11.