RUSSIAN EPIC
Panarin takes leave after accusation of decade-old assault on woman, 18 Rangers: Report comes in retribution for star forward’s anti-Putin rhetoric
Rangers star Artemi Panarin is taking a leave of absence from the team in the wake of a seemingly politically motivated accusation from Russia, in which his former KHL club head coach alleges the forward beat an 18-year-old girl in Riga, Latvia, in 2011.
Andrei Nazarov has repeatedly criticized Panarin, whom he coached with Vityaz, for his outspoken criticism of Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s regime. Nazarov, now the head coach of the KHL’s Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk, is a known Putin supporter.
“Artemi vehemently and unequivocally denies any and all allegations in this fabricated story,” the Rangers said in a statement. “This is clearly an intimidation tactic being used against him for being outspoken on recent political events. Artemi is obviously shaken and concerned and will take some time away from the team. The Rangers fully support Artemi and will work with him to identify the source of these unfounded allegations.”
In the ALhockey.ru article published Monday, and translated via Google, Nazarov put forth a detailed account about the events of Dec. 11, 2011. Nazarov, who was an enforcer for 12 seasons in the NHL, alleges that after Vityaz lost to Dynamo, a game in which a 20-yearold Panarin didn’t play particularly well, Panarin and other teammates were out at a hotel bar when he “sent the 18-year-old citizen of Latvia to the floor with several powerful blows.”
Nazarov claims Panarin was detained by the police, and there was a criminal case and a trial. However, Nazarov alleges that there was a payoff of 40,000 euros in cash to clear Panarin.
Paul Theofanous, Panarin’s agent, told The Post: “I unequivocally, categorically deny all of these false allegations coming out of Russia about Artemi. This is false.”
Panarin’s grandparents still reside in Russia, as do other family members, and the forward is concerned for their safety.
“We are completely supportive of Artemi Panarin and the Rangers and will continue to monitor the situation,” NHL senior vice president of communications John Dellapina wrote in a statement to The Post.
The 29-year-old native of Korkino, Russia, has openly — and strongly — opposed Putin in recent years. As recently as last month, Panarin showed his support for Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny in an Instagram post ahead of planned protests in Russia.
Panarin posted a photo of Navalny, a high-profile critic of Putin, and his wife and two children, with a caption that translated to: “Freedom for Navalny.” The post was still up on his page Monday.
Navalny had recently put out a message on his YouTube account to his supporters: “Don’t be afraid. Take to the streets. Don’t do it for me, do it for yourselves and your future.”
There was fear of retribution after Panarin’s Jan. 21 Instagram post, with a belief that his chance of competing for Russia during the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing would dwindle. Nazarov — who has been described by respected Russian journalist Slava Malamud as “mentally unstable” due to several meltdowns behind the bench throughout his coaching career — could be further trying to hinder Panarin’s chances of playing for Russia in the Olympics. Nazarov also once called for foreign players who criticize Russia to be jailed, according to Malamud.
In July 2019, Panarin sat down for an interview with the Vsemu Golovin YouTube channel and eviscerated Putin. It was a bombshell interview in which the 2019-20 Hart Trophy finalist — barefoot in his living room in Saint Petersburg — criticized Putin’s entire regime.
Panarin discussed Russian politics, economy, freedom of speech and drew several unflattering comparisons of his homeland to the United States. He was also questioned why he used to be supportive of Putin.
“Because I was never really interested in politics. Never read the news,” a translation from SlavaDoesAmerica.com reads. “I was thoroughly focused on hockey and my progress. … Besides, it’s not like I crossed the [American] border and got enlightened right away.
“It took me something like two years before I thought, ‘Something is wrong [in Russia].’ I began feeling, with time, that at the end of summer I started to want to get back [to America].” Panarin’s public opposition
to Putin is notable
considering how rare that is among Russian athletes. North American athletes, like LeBron James, Megan Rapinoe and countless others, have engaged in political conversation for years. Russian athletes are expected to show nothing but loyalty to their country, making Panarin’s stance all the more noteworthy.
For comparison, fellow NHL star Alex Ovechkin founded an entire political movement called “Putin Team” and sold Putinthemed merchandise leading up to Russia’s 2018 presidential election. Other Russian-born players such as Evgeni Malkin, Semyon Varlamov and Ilya Kovalchuk have expressed support for Putin himself or his politics.
The Blackhawks’ Nikita Zadorov has shown mild support for Panarin, once commenting on Panarin’s Instagram account with a “thumbs up” and “fist” emojis. Panarin and Zadorov previously criticized a Russian law that sought to give the government greater control of the internet, which prompted the Russian Embassy in the United States to issue an open letter to both NHLers.