Ukrainian athlete banned from Olympics over helmet honoring war dead
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Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych during an Olympic training run on Monday wearing a helmet of athletes killed in the war with Russia. Photo: Franck Fife/AFP via Getty Images
The International Olympic Committee on Thursday disqualified a Ukrainian skeleton athlete who insisted on competing while wearing a helmet bearing photos of athletes and coaches killed in the war with Russia.
Why it matters: Ukrainian Vladyslav Heraskevych's removal from the competition comes amid an increasingly politicized environment at the Olympics. Other athletes and leaders expressed frustration with the committee's decision.
- Heraskevych told reporters he didn't believe the helmet violated Olympic rules and plans to appeal his expulsion to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky posted on X a message of support for Heraskevych after the IOC handed down its punishment.
- "We are proud of Vladyslav and of what he did. Having courage is worth more than any medal."
Driving the news: Heraskevych wore the helmet honoring some 20 Ukrainian athletes and coaches during official training runs.
- The IOC sent him a letter stating that the helmet violated Olympic rules, which prohibit messaging of any kind on the field of play.
- The decision to remove Heraskevych came after a meeting Thursday with the athlete and IOC president Kirsty Coventry.
- Coventry and the IOC said they tried to reach a compromise, including allowing Heraskevych to display the helmet immediately after the competition when meeting with reporters.
What they're saying: "Sadly, we've not been able to come to that solution," Coventry said on Thursday after the meeting. "I really wanted to see him race today."
The other side: "I believe it's totally wrong to make this decision today, especially when already in this Olympic Games, others in almost equal situations were treated differently and didn't face any sanctions," Heraskevych told reporters.
- He added: "I have really bad thoughts and I believe that this situation also plays along with Russian propaganda."
- Asked about his emotions, he said it was "hard to to put into words" but was something akin to "emptiness."
The big picture: Current and former athletes from beyond Ukraine spoke out in support of Heraskevych.
- "It's shocking," British former Olympic Gold Medalist Lizzy Yarnold told the BBC. "He deserves an apology."
- Dan Barefoot, an American competing in the event said he had thought sports officials would have allowed Heraskevych to compete. "It's sad," Barefoot told reporters. "He's one of the best sliders in the world and obviously he believed that that was a more important cause than sliding."
- Ulla Zirne, a two-time Olympian in Luge from Latvia, posted on Threads that she feels "ashamed that I once believed the Olympic system represented the purest form of sport" and said that athletes are being treated as tools.
- Latvia's president and minister of foreign affairs both posted messages on X pledging solidarity with Heraskevych.
Go deeper... Zelensky: Trump wants Russia-Ukraine peace deal by June
