(Reuters) – Russian forward Denis Gurianov will not participate in the Montreal Canadiens pre-game warm-up after choosing not to wear a special Pride jersey ahead of the NHL team’s seventh annual Pride Night on Thursday against Washington Capitals.
Gurianov made the decision due to family reasons, the club said in a statement.
“While we understand the decision, we also hope the focus of attention remains where it belongs: on evolving as a society to be more accepting and welcoming of all, without exception,” the statement said.
NHL Pride Night events have been under an unwelcome spotlight in recent months as some teams and a handful of players have objected to participating for reasons that include religious beliefs.
The NHL club Chicago Blackhawks said in March it would not wear pride warm-up jerseys during Pride Night due to safety concerns related to the club’s Russian players.
Last December Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law expanding Russia’s restrictions on the promotion of what it calls “LGBT propaganda”, effectively outlawing any public expression of LGBT behaviour or lifestyle in Russia.
(Reporting by Tommy Lund in Gdansk, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
