Latvia bars NHL’s Ovechkin, Trump Jr. wedding benefactor from entering country

Latvia has barred Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin from entering the country days after the he appeared in a political ad for a party backed by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Baiba Braže, has decided to include Alexander Ovechkin and [International Boxing Association President] Umar Kremlev on the list of personae non gratae and to prohibit their entry into Latvia for an indefinite period,” the ministry said in a statement .

The ministry said Thursday the decision was made in accordance with Latvia’s immigration law but did not give a specific reason for barring the two Russian natives.

The two were placed on the Latvian persona non gratae list, which prohibits them from entering the country — a NATO member that borders Russia.

The announcement came the same day Ovechkin addressed his controversial appearance in an ad for United Russia, Putin’s ruling political party. The decision also closely followed reports that Kremlev helped finance wedding celebrations for President’s Trumps son, Donald Trump Jr., and his wife, Bettina.

The clip caused one House GOP member, Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.), to ask NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman to investigate the Capital’s player for supporting the Russian president — who the lawmaker labeled a “criminal” partially due to his multi-year war in Ukraine.

When asked by reporters about the ad during the Capitals’ annual media day Thursday, Ovechkin responded, “I’m Russian, and I support my country.”

The NHL star added, “I’m for peace and love.”

When pressed on his decision to participate in the ad, Ovechkin, the NHL’s leading scorer, said he did not hesitate to do so. In the clip, the Capitals player stood behind Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in the ad and former Soviet hockey star Viacheslav Fetisov, among other prominent figures from the country.

“They asked me to do that. I say yes,” he said. “So it’s as simple as that.”

The 41-year-old has faced scrutiny over his relationship with Putin for years. In 2017, Ovechkin launched a movement called “Putin Team” in support of the Russian president.

Kremlev, the other sports figure added to Latvia’s banned list, has also been known to have close ties to Putin. His controversy-plagued International Boxing Association (IBA) is financed by Russia’s state-owned natural gas company, Gazprom.

Latvia, a European Union and NATO member, has barred numerous Russian nationals from entering the country since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. In 2025, Latvia ordered more than 800 Russian citizens to leave the country after failing to prove their Latvian language proficiency.