Ukraine's luge team staged a public show of support for Vladyslav Heraskevych after the country's skeleton racer and Olympic flag bearer was stripped of his accreditation for the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Games over a helmet sticker honoring victims of Russia's invasion of their country.
After finishing sixth in the relay, team members silently showed their displeasure with the IOC's action against Heraskevych.
The International Olympic Committee said Heraskevych was disqualified after refusing to remove the tribute, which featured images of Ukrainian athletes killed in the war, citing rules governing athlete expression during competition.
"The decision followed his refusal to comply with the IOC's guidelines on athlete expression. It was taken by the jury of the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF) based on the fact that the helmet he intended to wear was not compliant with the rules," the IOC said in a statement.
"The International Olympic Committee has therefore decided with regret to withdraw his accreditation for the Milano Cortina 2026 Games."
The IOC said officials held discussions with Heraskevych, including an in-person meeting with IOC President Kirsty Coventry on the morning of the decision, in an effort to reach a compromise.
"Despite multiple exchanges and in-person meetings between the IOC and Mr Heraskevych, the last one this morning with IOC President Kirsty Coventry, he did not consider any form of compromise," the statement read.
According to the IOC, Heraskevych was permitted to display the helmet in all training runs and was offered the opportunity to show it immediately after competition in the mixed zone. Officials also pointed to alternative avenues for mourning.
"Mourning is not expressed and perceived in the same way everywhere in the world. In order to support athletes in their mourning, the IOC has put in place multifaith centres in the Olympic Villages and a place of mourning, so that grief can be expressed with dignity and respect. There is also the possibility to wear a black armband during competition under certain circumstances," the statement said.
In response to the decision, Ukraine's luge team displayed messages of solidarity with Heraskevych and paid tribute to those killed in the war, underscoring the broader national significance of the dispute.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the IOC's move in a post on X.
"Sport shouldn't mean amnesia, and the Olympic movement should help stop wars, not play into the hands of aggressors," he wrote.
"Unfortunately, the decision of the International Olympic Committee to disqualify Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych says otherwise," Zelenskyy said, adding that the athlete's helmet bearing images of Ukrainian athletes killed in the war was a reminder of Russian aggression. "No rule has been broken."
James Morley III ✉
James Morley III is a writer with more than two decades of experience in entertainment, travel, technology, and science and nature.
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