“The helmet does not violate any IOC rules,” Heraskevych said.
In a surprising decision, the International Olympic Committee banned Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych from competing in the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics after Heraskevych refused to refrain from racing in a helmet that honors athletes killed in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The helmet shows at least 20 athletes and coaches, and was worn in Heraskevych’s practice runs before the start of the competition.
Apparently, a last-ditch effort by International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Kirsty Coventry around an hour before the start of the event on Thursday in a meeting with Heraskevych at the sliding centre in Cortina d’Ampezzo failed to make him change his mind.
Conventry stated, the IOC does not allow any kind of political statements at competition sites. It offered a compromise solution allowing the slider to wear a black armband instead but Heraskevych did not want to back down and wanted to wear the helmet in competition.
Heraskevych had appealed his disqualification to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, arguing that he violated no Olympic rules and was denied the same treatment afforded to other athletes. CAS rejected the appeal on Friday.
“Having been given one final opportunity, skeleton pilot Vladylsav Heraskevych from Ukraine will not be able to start his race at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games this morning,” the IOC said in a statement.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and other political leaders in Europe have backed Heraskevych, who was fourth at last year’s world championships.
Ukrainian boxer Oleksandr Usyk, a two-time undisputed world heavyweight champion and a gold medalist in boxing while representing Ukraine in 2012, added his voice on social media. “I’m proud of you @heraskevych, for your courage and bravery,” Usyk wrote. “The helmet with portraits of fallen Ukrainian athletes is a tribute, not a rule violation! Sport doesn’t mean forgetting. True strength is having the courage to remain human, even in the toughest times.”
