The CAS (Court of Arbitration for Sport) rejected this Friday (13) the appeal of Ukrainian Vladislav Heraskevich, who will remain disqualified from the skeleton events at the Winter Olympic Games for insisting on wearing a helmet with images of athletes killed during the war with Russia.
“The CAS chamber rejected the appeal and considers that freedom of expression is guaranteed at the Olympic Games, but outside the competition venue, which is a sacred principle,” said Matthieu Reeb, secretary general of the highest sports court.
“German judge Annett Rombach, the sole arbitrator appointed by CAS to resolve the dispute, stated that she ‘fully understands the tribute paid by Mr. Heraskevich and his desire to raise awareness of the pain and devastation suffered by the Ukrainian people and athletes due to the war,'” the Lausanne court explained in a statement.
However, it is based “on IOC guidelines on athletes’ freedom of expression”, the CAS added. Athletes are free to express themselves at press conferences or in the mixed zone, but must refrain from any “political propaganda” on the field or on the podium, according to the Olympic Charter.
“The sole arbitrator considers that these guidelines ensure a reasonable balance between the athletes’ interest in expressing their opinions and the athletes’ interest in not receiving undue attention regarding their sporting performance on the field,” the CAS concluded.
The text highlights “the other possibilities offered to athletes” to attract attention to the topics they prefer, “or, in the case of Mr. Heraskevich, using the helmet during four training sessions”, as the IOC had allowed. “The objective is to keep the Olympic Games’ attention on performance and sport, a common interest for all athletes”, insisted the arbitration judge.
The 27-year-old Ukrainian athlete, who testified for two and a half hours this Friday in Milan, asked CAS to annul his disqualification, which he considers “disproportionate and not based on a technical or safety violation”, and which causes him “irreparable sporting damage”.
