MILAN — A Ukrainian skeleton pilot has been banned from competing at the Winter Olympics for insisting upon wearing a helmet featuring images of athletes killed during Russia’s invasion of his home country.
The International Olympic Committee announced “with regret” the decision to disqualify Vladyslav Heraskevych on Thursday just minutes before the first round of the men’s skeleton competition was set to begin.
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“This is the price of our dignity,” Heraskevych posted Thursday to X shortly after a last-minute meeting with IOC President Kirsty Coventry failed to produce a breakthrough.
When he spoke with reporters on Thursday, Heraskevych said he did not consider racing with another helmet because he believes he’s “not violating any rules.” Heraskevych pointed to “big inconsistencies” of athletes from other countries being able to express their political views during press conferences but him not being able to do so while competing.
“U.S. figure skater, Canadian freeskier, Israeli skeleton athlete who is also here today, they didn’t face the same things,” Heraskevych said. “So suddenly, just a Ukrainian athlete in this Olympic Games will be disqualified for this helmet.”
Vladyslav Heraskevych’s helmet featured victims of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Photo by Tiziana FABI / AFP via Getty Images)
(TIZIANA FABI via Getty Images)
Shortly after Heraskevych first wore his helmet during a training run on Monday, the IOC met with his coach and Ukrainian officials to explain that the helmet was not compliant with its rules. The Olympic charter states that “No kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas.”
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When Heraskevych made it clear that he intended to wear the helmet anyway, the IOC offered him the option to wear a black armband or black ribbon instead of the helmet. Coventry also traveled to Cortina to sit down in person with Heraskevych in hopes of brokering a compromise.
“The IOC was very keen for Mr. Heraskevych to compete,” it said in a statement. “This is why the IOC sat down with him to look for the most respectful way to address his desire to remember his fellow athletes who have lost their lives following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.”
Ukrainian skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych was disqualified by the IOC over his intention to wear a helmet honoring fallen countrymen in the ongoing war against Russia. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Calling it “an emotional morning,” Coventry reiterated when speaking to reporters that the ban was not about the content of Heraskevych’s message. The issue, she said, was that he insisted on displaying it “on the field of play.”
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“The messaging is a powerful message of remembrance, it’s a message of memory, and no-one is disagreeing with that,” Coventry said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy praised Heraskevych for sacrificing his Olympic dreams to honor his countrymen. In a social media post, Zelenskyy said that 660 Ukrainian athletes and coaches have been killed since the Russian invasion began.
“We are proud of Vladyslav and of what he did,” Zelenskyy said. “Having courage is worth more than any medal.”
“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 support of peace.”
Following their luge relay competition on Thursday, the Ukrainian team members dropped to one knee and raised their helmets in honor of Heraskevych.
Team Ukraine raise their helmets in a tribute to Vladyslav Heraskevych. (Reuters)
(REUTERS / REUTERS)
Heraskevych competed at the previous two Winter Olympics in the skeleton, placing 12th in PyeongChang in 2018 and 18th in Beijing in 2022. He had an outside shot at a medal in Cortina based on the results of his training runs.
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On Thursday, moments after his disqualification, Heraskevych urged broadcast companies who air the Olympics to show his final training run “to honor athletes pictured on this helmet.”
“I believe they deserve this moment,” he said. “Certainly I do not get my moment at this Olympics, despite I would say pretty good results in the training runs. I really believe we could be among the medallists today and tomorrow, but we will not be able to race.”
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