Ivan Fedotov, a Russian hockey player who recently signed with the Philadelphia Flyers, was detained on July 1, 2022, by the Russian government. He allegedly planned to evade the one year of military service all Russian men are required to complete. He signed with the Flyers on May 7 and played for the Russian team at the Winter Olympics in Beijing. There, he helped the team win a silver medal.
American WNBA star Brittney Griner’s trial in Russia began the same day Fedotov was detained. Since February, she has been detained at the Moscow airport for being in possession of vape cartridges containing less than a gram of cannabis oil. Griner’s supporters say that Russian authorities are using her as leverage over the United States for its involvement in Ukraine. Griner recently plead guilty to the charges, saying that she did not intentionally put the drugs in her bag.
Fedotov was born in Finland and grew up in Russia. He spent last year with CSKA Moscow, one of the top teams in the KHL, Russia’s hockey league. Earlier this year, Fedotov helped CSKA Moscow win the league’s championship, known as the Gagarin Cup. Many Russian goalies have appeared in the National Hockey League recently, including Andrei Vasilevskiy and Sergei Bobrovsky. Fedotov is widely regarded as the best goalie in the Russian league and has improved since the Philadelphia Flyers signed him.
Chuck Fletcher, the Flyers’ general manager, “Ivan is a player we have followed closely and are very pleased with his development. He’s put a number of strong seasons together in the K.H.L., culminating this year when he captured an Olympic silver medal and a K.H.L. Championship.”
Fedotov’s lawyer, Alexey Ponomarev, says that “It is difficult to predict his fate.”
“He was on the territory of the city military registration and enlistment office, but he is registered with the military in Moscow. They found his registration certificate, but he lives in Vsevolozhsk. That is, he has nothing to do with the city military registration and enlistment office.”
Fletcher said that the Flyers are aware of the reports and are investigating the situation. He did not provide any further comment.
Sources:
https://s3.amazonaws.com/appforest_uf/f1656877321237x683539068075620600/Russia%20Detains%20Olympic%20Goalie%2C%20Who%20Had%20Signed%20With%20the%20Philadelphia%20Flyers%20-%20The%20New%20York%20Times.pdf
https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/04/sport/ivan-fedotov-detained-evading-military-service-spt-intl/index.html
https://www.texastribune.org/2022/07/04/brittney-griner-biden-letter/
https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/07/europe/brittney-griner-russia-pleads-guilty/index.html
American WNBA star Brittney Griner’s trial in Russia began the same day Fedotov was detained. Since February, she has been detained at the Moscow airport for being in possession of vape cartridges containing less than a gram of cannabis oil. Griner’s supporters say that Russian authorities are using her as leverage over the United States for its involvement in Ukraine. Griner recently plead guilty to the charges, saying that she did not intentionally put the drugs in her bag.
Fedotov was born in Finland and grew up in Russia. He spent last year with CSKA Moscow, one of the top teams in the KHL, Russia’s hockey league. Earlier this year, Fedotov helped CSKA Moscow win the league’s championship, known as the Gagarin Cup. Many Russian goalies have appeared in the National Hockey League recently, including Andrei Vasilevskiy and Sergei Bobrovsky. Fedotov is widely regarded as the best goalie in the Russian league and has improved since the Philadelphia Flyers signed him.
Chuck Fletcher, the Flyers’ general manager, “Ivan is a player we have followed closely and are very pleased with his development. He’s put a number of strong seasons together in the K.H.L., culminating this year when he captured an Olympic silver medal and a K.H.L. Championship.”
Fedotov’s lawyer, Alexey Ponomarev, says that “It is difficult to predict his fate.”
“He was on the territory of the city military registration and enlistment office, but he is registered with the military in Moscow. They found his registration certificate, but he lives in Vsevolozhsk. That is, he has nothing to do with the city military registration and enlistment office.”
Fletcher said that the Flyers are aware of the reports and are investigating the situation. He did not provide any further comment.
Sources:
https://s3.amazonaws.com/appforest_uf/f1656877321237x683539068075620600/Russia%20Detains%20Olympic%20Goalie%2C%20Who%20Had%20Signed%20With%20the%20Philadelphia%20Flyers%20-%20The%20New%20York%20Times.pdf
https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/04/sport/ivan-fedotov-detained-evading-military-service-spt-intl/index.html
https://www.texastribune.org/2022/07/04/brittney-griner-biden-letter/
https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/07/europe/brittney-griner-russia-pleads-guilty/index.html
