In Russia, it seems sports and politics often do mix
Top athletes exploited for prestige by those in power, says ex-tennis star
Most, but not all, of Russia’s top sports stars are backing Vladimir Putin in this weekend’s presidential election. Ahead of Sunday’s vote, a host of Olympic gold medallists and NHL player Alex Ovechkin have thrown their support behind Putin. Ovechkin even launched a ‘Putin Team’ campaign on social media.
On the other side, there’s Yevgeny Kafelnikov.
The former No. 1-ranked tennis player is the only major Russian athlete to back opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who’s been barred from taking part in the election. With Putin poised to win as much as 70 per cent of the vote,
according to state pollsters, Kafelnikov told The Associated Press he won’t vote. Navalny has called on his supporters to boycott what he sees as an unfair election. “You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to understand (that Putin will win),” said the 44-year-old Kafelnikov, who stopped playing professionally in 2003.
“My choice, who I was willing to give my voice to at the election, he was not allowed to run for the presidency.”
Sports stars have long been a fixture in Russian political campaigns, while boxer Nikolai Valuev and tennis player Marat Safin are among a host of athletes who have represented the United Russia party in parliament. Kafelnikov said he, too, was approached in 2003 to take a parliamentary seat for the party, but declined because he felt he wouldn’t be allowed to express his real views.
“After two days thinking, I thought something is a bit dodgy and I don’t want to be involved,” he said. “My voice isn’t going to be counted as whatever I think. So I said I don’t want to be there just for pressing the button (to vote).” Athletes are being increasingly exploited as symbols of prestige for those in power, Kafelnikov said.
“I always thought sports and politics should not collide together on the same path, should be completely separate. Unfortunately as of late, someone’s using the professional athletes for their own benefit,” he said.