It’s my Parting Shot to weigh in on how far is too far when it comes to sanctions against Russia and Belarus sports in the wake of the Ukraine invasion…..

As a Ukrainian-Canadian, my first thought was to stop ALL international sports activity and boot everyone, Alex Ovechkin included, back to Mother Russia and Belarus.

Then, my rational side took over, thankfully, and my belief now is that sanctions for sports are to prevent any new Russian and Belarussian visas and work permits being issued for their athletes, coaches, etcetera, while cancelling ALL international sports games, events, tournaments, etcetera, that involve Russia and Belarus.

That means I’m not telling Ovechkin or Andrey Vasilevsky to go home now in the middle of the 2021-22 N-H-L season. Unless the invasion ends and Russia totally retreats out of Ukraine, I’m instructing N-H-L teams to terminate their ties to Russian or Belarus players once their contracts are done. The same goes for any other professional team sport!

And, I’m not advocating for Saskatoon Blades’ forward Egor Sidorov or the Prince Albert Raiders’ duo of goaltender Tikhon Chaika and forward Vladislav Shilo to be sent home immediately. What’s going on in Ukraine is not their doing! But, once they age out of the W-H-L, it’s time to hit the road…so long as Russian leadership, with the support of Belarus, insist on having imperialistic goals and won’t retreat out of Ukraine!

Slava Ukraini!! Glory to Ukraine!

That’s my Parting Shot. I’m Les Lazaruk…..