Ukrainian skeleton athlete urged by IOC to ditch helmet protest or face Olympics ban

"The Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych has been warned that he faces disqualification from the Winter Olympics if he wears a helmet of memory for his country's war dead when the men's competition starts on Thursday. Heraskevych has continued to practise in the helmet, which shows 20 images of athletes and children killed since Russia's invasion, despite the IOC banning it on Monday. In a post on X, published on Wednesday, Heraskevych indicated that he has no intention of backing down and called on the IOC to approve his helmet for the competition."

"He can, and we would encourage him, to express his grief but in the end let me be clear, said Adams. It's not the message, it's the place that counts. There are 130 conflicts going on in the world. We cannot have 130 different conflicts featured, however terrible they are, during the field of play, during the actual competition. This is what the athletes want. They want that specific moment on the field of play to be free from any distraction."

Vladyslav Heraskevych faces potential disqualification for intending to wear a helmet bearing 20 images commemorating athletes and children killed since Russia's invasion. The IOC banned the helmet, citing Article 50 and the rule forbidding political statements during competition, and urged reconsideration while warning of enforcement. Heraskevych has continued to train in the helmet and publicly demanded the ban be lifted, arguing the helmet is an act of remembrance and does not violate rules. The IOC spokesperson emphasized that the competition field should remain free of conflict representations and that athletes prefer distraction-free competition.

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