New York Rangers star Artemi Panarin takes leave from the team in the aftermath of a politically motivated article from Russia in which his former Vityaz head coach claims the ex-Moscow Region club striker beat an 18-year-old girl in Riga , Latvia in 2011, The Post’s Larry Brooks reported Monday morning.
Andrei Nazarov, who is currently the head coach of KHL’s Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk, has repeatedly criticized Panarin for the attacker’s outspoken views on the regime of Russian leader Vladimir Putin. Nazarov is a well-known supporter of Putin.
“Artemi vehemently and unequivocally denies all allegations in this made-up story,” the Rangers said in a statement. “This is clearly an intimidation tactic being used against him for being candid about recent political events. Artemi is clearly shocked 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 baseless allegations.
In the ALhockey.ru article published Monday and translated by The Post, Nazarov provides a detailed account from December 11, 2011. The former Russian hockey player claims that after Vityaz lost to Dynamo 2-0, in which Panarin did not have a great game, a then 19-year-old Panarin and other teammates were in a hotel bar when he “sent the 18-year-old citizen of Latvia to the ground with several powerful blows”.
Nazarov claims that Panarin was detained by police before there was any criminal case and trial. But Nazarov claims there was a $ 40,000 cash bribe to help Panarin escape.
Panarin’s grandparents still live in Russia, as do some other relatives.
29-year-old Korkino, from Russia, has openly – and vigorously – opposed Putin in recent years. Last month, Panarin showed his support for Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny in an Instagram post ahead of the 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 message is still on his page as of Monday.
Navalny recently posted 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 yourself and your future. “
In July 2019, Panarin sat down for an interview with the Vsemu Golovin YouTube channel and gutted Putin. It was a bombshell interview in which the 2020 Hart trophy finalist – barefoot in his St Petersburg living room – criticized the entire Putin regime.
Panarin discussed Russian politics, economics, freedom of speech and made several unflattering comparisons of his homeland to the United States. He was also asked why he supported Putin in the past.
“Because I was never really interested in politics. Never read the news ”, is a translation of SlavaDoesAmerica.com. “I was thoroughly focused on hockey and my progress… Besides, it’s not like I was the [American] border and was immediately illuminated.
‘It took me about two years before I thought,’ Something is wrong [in Russia]Over time, I started to feel like I wanted to go back at the end of the summer [to America]
Panarin’s public opposition to Putin is extremely remarkable, as it is an unprecedented event in Russia. Athletes in North America, such as LeBron James, Megan Rapinoe, and countless others, have been in political talks for years. Russian athletes are expected to show nothing but loyalty to their country, making Panarin’s position all the more earth-shattering.
In comparison, fellow NHL star Alex Ovechkin had formed an entire political movement called the “Putin Team” and had been selling Putin-themed merchandise in the run-up to the 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.
Nikita Zadorov of The Avalanche has mildly shown support for Panarin, once commenting on Panarin’s Instagram account with a “thumbs up” and “fist” emojis. Panarin and Zadorov had previously criticized a Russian law to give the government more control over the Internet, prompting the Russian Embassy in the United States to send an open letter to both NHLers.