The Czech leaders sentenced obvious threats to a former Russian president and prime minister against the NHL Great Dominik Hasek for his critical attitude of the Russian invasion in Ukraine.
Medwedew, who is now deputy head of the Russian security council, said that the goalkeeper of the Hockey Hall of Fame had suffered from “Russophobia” and suggested seeing a psychiatrist.
In comments made by his assistant Oleg Osipov and published on Tuesday by the TASS news agency, Medvedev also asked Hasek to be careful when crossing streets and beer in unknown places.
Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said that such threats were “absolutely unacceptable”. He added that they were not surprising, but cannot be ignored because Medledew is not a private person.
“Medvedev behaves again as primitive,” said Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský on Wednesday. “This time he attacks the NHL legend Dominik Hasek just to speak the truth – the truth about the Russia’s war and abuse of sport in promotion. Such intimidation can be normal in Putin’s Russia, not in the civilized world!”
Hasek was a loud critic of the war and participating in Russian athletes in international competitions and leagues, including the NHL.
“Everyone knows where these athletes come from,” Hasek told the AP in an interview in 2023. “They would represent aggressive, imperialist war and the associated crimes and murders.”
He also criticized the NHL for competing Russian players, including Alex Ovechkin. Ovechkin broke Wayne Gretzky’s record for most career goals in the NHL.
After Ovechkin’s record goal 895. On April 6, Medvedev said on the social media site Telegram that he expected Hasek to commit suicide.
Hasek sent a message to the International Olympic Committee and the International ICE Hockey Federation to inform them that “former Russian President Medvedev threatened to kill me”.
“It is not possible to threaten the citizens of our state in this way, simply because they express their views,” said Fiala after the regular seat of government on Wednesday.
He added that some government members are in contact with Hasek and will take further steps if necessary. He did not state any details.
