Russian Fans Defy 'Gay Propaganda' Laws to Watch Hit Queer Hockey Series 'Heated Rivalry'

The Canadian romantic sports drama series "Heated Rivalry", which premiered in November 2025, has emerged as a major television hit in 2026, captivating audiences worldwide with its story of rivals-to-lovers between professional hockey players Shane Hollander, a Canadian phenom played by Hudson Williams, and Ilya Rozanov, a Russian star portrayed by Connor Storrie. The series, adapted from Rachel Reid's books by writer-director Jacob Tierney and executive producer Brendan Brady, chronicles the men's secret physical and emotional relationship spanning years from 2008 to 2017, touching on themes of queer identity in sports.

In Russia, where the series is unavailable on official streaming platforms due to stringent laws prohibiting LGBTQ+ "propaganda, "fans are reportedly breaking the law to watch it, marking a bold act of defiance amid escalating repression against queer people. Russia's federal law banning "propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations to minors, "enacted in 2013 and expanded in 2022 to apply to all ages, forbids content depicting LGBTQ+ relationships, with fines up to 400, 000 rubles for individuals and 5 million rubles for organizations.

Kinopoisk, Russia's leading film and TV review aggregator similar to Rotten Tomatoes, shows "Heated Rivalry" with an 8. 6 rating from over 30, 385 users, one of the site's highest. Telegram channels for Russian fans have exploded in popularity, with some surpassing 34, 000 subscribers, where users share episodes, clips, and discussions, often using VPNs to mask their activity. Piracy is another common method; a torrent of the full first season boasts over 500 seeders on a major Russian piracy site, indicating widespread sharing despite legal risks.

The show's resonance in Russia is amplified by its narrative, which includes Ilya's fears about returning home. In one scene, after hooking up, Shane asks if it's safe for Ilya in Russia, to which Ilya replies resignedly, “What do you mean, safe? What difference does it make? ” Later, when discussing a relationship, Ilya says, “I wouldn’t be able to go home again. Ever. Do you get that? I would not be able to go back to Russia, ” adding, “I don’t want to find out” what would happen if exposed. These lines mirror real dangers for LGBTQ+ people in Russia, where post-2013 laws have shuttered organizations, blocked websites, and targeted social media. Further measures include 2021 bans on same-sex marriage and adoption, 2023 prohibitions on gender-affirming care and trans adoptions, and a November 2023 Supreme Court ruling labeling the "international LGBT movement"extremist, punishable by up to 12 years in prison.

For transgender people and others in Russia's queer community, these laws compound isolation, with activists advising people to remain closeted for safety, as many visible LGBTQ+ individuals have fled. The 2017-2019 Chechnya purges, documented in "Welcome to Chechnya", underscore brutal enforcement, including torture and killings of gay men. Russia's 2022 Ukraine invasion raises alarms for LGBTQ+ Ukrainians, fearing imposition of these policies.

"Heated Rivalry"'s explicit depiction of gay intimacy and bisexuality in hockey culture has fueled its global buzz, with Season 2 in production for early 2027 and Reid's final book forthcoming. For Russian fans risking fines or worse, the series represents "queer joy"amid peril, as one analysis notes, blending entertainment with stark activism reminders. While quantifying the fandom's scale is challenging, its breach of censorship barriers signals shifting dynamics in queer media access.