Buffalo Sabres defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin will not participate in the team's Pride night activities ahead of Monday's game against the Montréal Canadiens because of anti-gay laws in his home country of Russia, per John Wawrow of the Associated Press.
Sabres players will wear rainbow-colored jerseys and use Pride tape on their sticks during pregame warm-ups to show their support of the LGBTQIA+ community, but Lyubushkin—who is from Moscow—reportedly fears retribution if he participated.
He plans on playing in the game.
The Athletic reported Lyubushkin spends offseasons in Russia with his wife and children.