Professional sports and media need to stop acting like Russian athletes are Putin puppets

Unless you have a memory like Dory from "Finding Nemo" or you live under a rock, you’re aware of the Russia and Ukraine conflict that has been ongoing since 2022. That conflict has not only affected politics at home and abroad, but American and international professional sports as well. For example, the NHL did not include Russia in its 4 Nations Face-Off in 2025, though Russia would arguably have one of the strongest rosters in the field. Russian national teams remain suspended from most intern