Olympic Committee bans Ukrainian skeleton runner

Milan — Olympic officials will not allow Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych to wear a helmet that displays images of some of his fellow Ukrainian athletes who have died in Russia’s war against its country. when competing in 2026 Winter Games in Italy, according to a letter from the International Olympic Committee to the Ukrainian Olympic delegation.

It’s “a decision that simply breaks my heart,” Heraskevych said in a social media post overnight. “The feeling that the IOC is betraying the athletes who were part of the Olympic movement, not allowing them to be honored in the sports field where these athletes will never be able to set foot again, despite the precedents in modern times and in the past, when the IOC allowed such honors. This time they decided to establish special rules only for Ukraine.”

In a letter from the IOC, which the Ukrainian Olympic team shared with News themezone, the committee said: “Unfortunately, the world today is divided and full of conflict and tragedies. The IOC has from the beginning addressed the situation in Ukrainian sports following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The IOC fully understands the desire of athletes to remember their friends who have lost their lives as a result of many conflicts around the world.”

The IOC said, however, that “the focus of the Olympic Games must remain on the performance of athletes, sport and the international unity and harmony that the Olympic Games seek to promote. It is a fundamental principle, applied equally to all delegations and athletes, that sports at the Olympic Games must be separated from political, religious or any other interference.”

He said Heraskevych “like all other athletes, will not be able to compete with a personalized helmet (like the one he wore in training sessions and posted on social media)… That said, the IOC is willing to make an exception to the Guidelines in this specific case if the athlete wishes to pay tribute to his teammates and express his grief by wearing a black armband or ribbon without any personalization.”

Heraskevych previously said on social media that many of those featured on his helmet were athletes, some of whom died while defending Ukraine, others from Russian bombing.

“Among them are representatives of summer and winter sports. Among them are the Olympians, members of the so-called Olympic family,”

Heraskevych said his national teammate Dmytro Sharper was represented on the helmet, as well as boxer Maksym Halinichev, a junior Olympic medalist. He also said several children and people who supported veteran sports were represented.

“I will compete for them,” Heraskevych said.

“His helmet bears portraits of our athletes killed by Russia. Figure skater Dmytro Sharpar, who died in battles near Bakhmut, 19-year-old biathlete Yevhen Malyshev, who was killed by occupiers near Kharkiv, and other athletes who lost their lives in the Russian war,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Tuesday morning.

“I thank Vladislav Heraskevich, our team’s flag bearer at the Winter Olympics, for reminding the world of the price of our struggle. This truth cannot be inconvenient, inappropriate or called ‘political action at sporting events,'” Zelenskyy said. “It is a reminder to everyone of what modern Russia is like. And this is what reminds everyone of the global role of sport and the historical mission of the Olympic movement as such. It is about peace and for the sake of life. Ukraine is faithful to this. Russia proves the opposite.”