OLYMPIA (Greece), September 29 (Itar-Tass) - Forward of the NHL club Washington Capitals Aleksander Ovechkin agreed immediately to become an Olympic torch bearer at the Winter Olympics in Sochi in 2014, but he had to settle several problems with his ice hockey club. Ovechkin has made a statement at a news conference before he will participate in the Olympic torch relay on September 29.

The ice hockey star denied the reports that Russian President Vladimir Putin asked him to participate in the Olympic torch relay.