IOC bars Ukrainian racer from wearing memorial helmet

""The IOC fully understands the desire of athletes to remember friends who lost their lives in that conflict," IOC spokesman Mark Adams told a news conference on Tuesday. "He has done that in training and on social media he has expressed his feelings but what we have said is this helmet contravenes the ... guidelines," he added."

""The helmet was created to honour Ukrainian athletes killed while defending Ukraine or who became victims of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine," Ukraine's Olympic Committee said in a statement."

""We feel this is a good compromise," Adams said."

""We need to keep that specific moment (on the field of play) as pure as we can for the competition. People can express themselves however they want to elsewhere," he explained."

The IOC barred Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych from wearing a helmet that honors Ukrainian athletes killed in the war with Russia. IOC spokesman Mark Adams said the IOC understands the desire to remember fallen friends but that the helmet contravenes guidelines banning political statements. The Ukrainian Olympic Committee said the helmet contains no political slogans and that it commemorates athletes killed defending Ukraine or as victims of Russia's full-scale war. The IOC denied the helmet request but allowed Heraskevych to wear a black armband as a compromise to keep the field of play neutral. Heraskevych has worn the helmet in training and expressed feelings on social media.

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