(Reuters) – The Ukrainian national anthem will be played before home Ottawa Senators games for the rest of the season as part of a pledge to support the country in its war with Russia, the National Hockey League team’s owner said on Wednesday.
Eugene Melnyk said the Senators will also conduct 50/50 draws to support organisations providing humanitarian and medical assistance to Ukraine and use their home arena as a drop-off point to collect charitable donations.
“Today, we are all Ukrainian,” Melnyk, whose parents are Ukrainian, wrote in full-page ads published in two Ottawa newspapers and shared by the Canadian team on social media.
“The unprovoked assault and the ensuing carnage, unnecessary human, economic and social destruction of a sovereign country is unspeakable and unacceptable in a civilized world.
“And while the images from Ukraine show courage and resilience, they also cry out for help.”
Russia has called its actions in Ukraine a “special operation” that is not designed to occupy territory but to destroy its southern neighbor’s military capabilities and capture what it regards as dangerous nationalists.
The NHL this week suspended its relationships with business partners in Russia and discontinued any consideration of Russia as a location for future competitions involving the NHL.
Melnyk said he fully endorses the measures taken by the NHL and broader hockey community, including the International Ice Hockey Federation which has decided to suspend Russia and Belarus from international play until further notice.
(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto, editing by Ed Osmond)
