"Ukrainian Winter Olympics athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych has been disqualified from competing in the skeleton event today, after he made clear his plans to defy Olympic rules and wear a helmet that depicted fellow athletes who have been killed during Russia's illegal four-year invasion of his home country. As reported by the New York Times, Heraskevych had made clear his intentions to wear the helmet during both practice and competitive runs in the skeleton event, and had said that he would not be deterred by threats of disqualification."
"Just before competition was due to begin today, February 12, the current president of the International Olympic Committee, Kirsty Coventry, met with Heraskevych and his father to discuss the situation. The athlete clearly did not back down, and as a result was disqualified from the event. The Times says both Coventry and Heraskevych's father were in tears following the conversation."
"Sport shouldn't mean amnesia, and the Olympic movement should help stop wars, not play into the hands of aggressors. Unfortunately, the decision of the International Olympic Committee to disqualify Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych says otherwise. This is certainly not about the principles of Olympism, which are founded on fairness and the suppor"
Vladyslav Heraskevych planned to wear a helmet showing fellow athletes killed during Russia's four-year invasion of Ukraine and said he would defy Olympic rules and threats of disqualification. IOC President Kirsty Coventry met with Heraskevych and his father on February 12 in Cortina; the athlete refused to back down and was disqualified from the skeleton event. Coventry and Heraskevych's father were reported to be in tears after the meeting. Heraskevych told journalists, "There are things more important than medals. I stood up for what I believe in." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy publicly expressed support.
Read at Kotaku
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