Following its run in Thursday’s luge relay competition at the 2026 Winter Olympics, Team Ukraine showed support for skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych, with each member kneeling and raising their helmets.
Heraskevych was barred from competing in the Milan Cortina Games on Thursday after the International Olympic Committee disqualified him for wearing a helmet honoring Ukrainian athletes who had been killed during Russia’s invasion of the country.
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The IOC cited article 50.2 of the Olympic charter, stating “no kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas.”
Team Ukraine lugers Ihor Hoi, Yulianna Tunytska, Oleksandra Mokh, Andriy Mandziy, Nazarii Kachmar and Olena Stetskiv kneel and raise their helmets in tribute to countryman Vladyslav Heraskevych, who was barred from competing on Thursday. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP via Getty Images)
(FRANCK FIFE via Getty Images)
IOC officials urged Heraskevych to wear a black armband or ribbon instead of the helmet during competition, but he declined. (Armbands and ribbons also are not allowed, but an exception was going to be made in this instance as a compromise.)
“U.S. figure skater, Canadian freeskier, Israeli skeleton athlete who is also here today, they didn’t face the same things,” Heraskevych told reporters after meeting with IOC president Kirsty Coventry. “So suddenly, just a Ukrainian athlete in this Olympic Games will be disqualified for this helmet.”
Ukrainian freestyle skier Kateryna Kotsar was also told she could not wear a helmet bearing the message, “Be brave like Ukrainians.”
Team Ukraine’s Olena Smaha displayes a message on her glove in support of victims during the country’s conflict with Russia. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)
(Richard Heathcote via Getty Images)
Ukraine finished sixth in the team luge relay competition. Germany won gold in the event, followed by Austria earning silver and home country Italy taking bronze.
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Prior to Thursday’s relay, the head of the German Olympic Sports Confederation encouraged Heraskevych to comply with IOC rules and wear an armband instead.
Additionally, Ukrainian luger Olena Smaha displayed a message taped to the palm of her glove that read, “Remembrance is not a violation” to support her fellow countrymen during the women’s singles luge competition on Tuesday.
Smaha finished 20th in the event and presumably could face a penalty as well.
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