REPORT - NHL Goalie Receives Sentencing For Faking Military Badge
Flyers goalie Ivan Fedotov has been one of several Russian NHL players this off-season to get themselves into hot water, it seemed as if all was going well until the Russian government double checked military ID's and realized many were fake, and paid for so that Russian residents who were hockey players did not have to do their military service time before heading to North America to play hockey.
Some players were even caught bribing the military, another former Flyers prospect Mikhail Vorobyev paid $40,000 USD as a ''under the table'' deal to skip the military service, he was caught and sentenced. Kirill Kaprisov was also caught, with a fake military id but all worked out as he is back in North America, Minnesota before he could be detained.
Ivan Fedotov was caught red handed while practicing for the his return to the Flyers in his hometown in Russia, he received a surprise visit from the Russian military after his practice, where he was detained and went missing for days.
The sentencing is now out, and Philadelphia Flyers reporter Bill Meltzer reported the following:
No suprise here: With the Russian court primed to rule against his appeal, Ivan Fedotov dropped his last-ditch attempt to be allowed to leave Russia and fulfill the contract he signed with the Flyers before he was detained. He is compelled to serve a full year in the military.
Under NHL rules, the Flyers can toll Fedotov's one-year contract because it was legitimately signed and he will be (involuntarily) unavailable to fulfill it. But in terms of any chance of him playing in North America this year, that door is closed officially.
Sad news for the goaltender, but many are thankful the sentencing was not any worse.
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