Expelled from the Olympic Games: Ukrainian refused to change his helmet (which was about the war)

Vladyslav Heraskevych banned from Milano-Cortina2026 competition; helmet honored athletes killed in the war with Russia.

Ukrainian skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych it was today banned of competition in Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics to the refuse to use another helmet other than yours, that honored athletes killed in the war with Russia.

The president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Kirsty Coventry, met with Heraskevych, about an hour before the start of the race, already at the top of the ice track, but without success in his request for a more neutral helmet.

“It’s difficult to say or use words. It’s empty”said the athlete, while waiting for his appeal to the International Bobsled and Skeleton Federation, adding that he would also appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

The helmet in question has painted the faces of more than 20 Ukrainian athletes and coaches who died during the invasion and military offensive of the Russian Federation, since February 24, 2022.

The IOC had announced that that piece of equipment would not be permitted, justifying it with the rule that prohibits positions or statements of political content in Olympic competitions.

For Heraskevych, the helmet “does not violate any rule of the IOC”, an institution that had already reprimanded the same athlete at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics for holding a poster with the phrase calling for an end to the war in Ukraine, with the institution that oversees the Olympic events concluding that it was merely a call for Peace.