Ukrainian Olympian banned from competing over helmet honouring war dead

A Ukrainian skeleton racer has been banned from competing at the Winter Olympics after he insisted on wearing a helmet depicting athletes killed since Russia’s invasion.

Vladyslav Heraskevych, 27, told reporters he would appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

“It’s hard to say or put into words. It’s emptiness,” he said in response to the ban.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) had pleaded with Heraskevych ‌to adhere to guidelines and avoid potential disqualification.

It argued the helmet violated rules which prevent political statements while athletes are competing.

The IOC had allowed him to ‌wear a black armband while competing and display his “helmet of remembrance” depicting 24 images of dead compatriots before and ​after the men’s skeleton race on Thursday.

But the athlete remained defiant after a ​meeting between the two sides on Wednesday afternoon failed to break the impasse.

President Kirsty Coventry was unable to change his mind after speaking to Heraskevych on Thursday morning before the race. She said she did not disagree with his “powerful message”.

“I really ‌wanted to see him race. It’s been an emotional morning,” Coventry said.

“It’s literally about the rules and the regulations and that in this case… we have to be able to keep a safe environment for everyone and sadly, that just means no messaging is ‌allowed.”

Separately, the IOC said in a statement on Thursday that it was “very keen for Mr Heraskevych to compete”.

“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.”

Ukraine’s Olympic Committee had backed their athlete, who ⁠is also the team’s flagbearer for the Games and also displayed ⁠a “No War in Ukraine” sign at the Beijing 2022 Olympics, days before Russia’s invasion.

Heraskevych said even if he wanted to change a helmet he would ​have no time to prepare one that would fit him.

“For us and ​the athletes the field of play is sacrosanct. These people have dedicated their whole lives for this moment,” IOC spokesperson Mark ⁠Adams said at a news conference on Wednesday.