Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated Thursday (February 12, 2026) that the choice to ban skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych from the Winter Olympics for refusing to ditch a helmet depicting victims of the struggle with Russia performs “into the fingers of aggressors”.
Gestures of a political nature throughout competitors are forbidden underneath the Olympic constitution.
The Worldwide Olympic Committee stated Heraskevych had failed “to stick to the IOC athlete expression tips”.
The athlete had insisted he would proceed to put on the headgear, which carries footage of Ukrainian sportsmen and girls killed since Russian forces invaded Ukraine in 2022, in his occasion on the Milan-Cortina Winter Video games.
The IOC stated in an announcement: “(The choice) was taken by the jury of the Worldwide Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF) primarily based on the truth that the helmet he meant to put on was not compliant with the principles.”
A defiant Heraskevych posted on X: “That is (the) value of our dignity”, alongside an image of his helmet.
Mr. Zelenskyy took goal on the IOC.
“The Olympic motion ought to assist cease wars, not play into the fingers of aggressors,” the Ukrainian president stated in a submit on social media.
“We’re pleased with Vladyslav and of what he did. Having braveness is price greater than any medal.”
Athletes are permitted to precise their views in press conferences and on social media, and the IOC had stated on Tuesday it might permit Heraskevych to put on a plain black armband.
An additional supply to permit him to hold his helmet into the blended zone, the place athletes discuss to journalists after their race, was additionally rejected.
“Mr Heraskevych was in a position to show his helmet in all coaching runs,” Thursday’s IOC assertion added. “The IOC additionally provided him the choice of displaying it instantly after the competitors when going by means of the blended zone.”
Heraskevych has appealed his disqualification to the Court docket of Arbitration for Sport, CAS confirmed on Thursday (February 12, 2026).
Coventry plea
IOC president Kirsty Coventry met with Heraskevych early on Thursday (February 12, 2026) in a last-ditch try to steer him to alter his thoughts earlier than his competitors began.
Ms. Coventry, a former Olympic gold medallist in swimming, was in tears after the assembly, in accordance with video pictures.
“I used to be not chatting with him in that room as a president, I am chatting with him as an athlete,” she stated.
“We’ve got these guidelines in place to try to be honest and likewise to try to permit for us to do each issues proper — to permit for athletes to precise themselves, but additionally to permit for athletes to be secure.”
An impassioned Heraskevych, who’s allowed to stay on the Video games regardless of not competing, advised reporters on the Cortina Sliding Centre that he believed his disqualification was “completely unsuitable”.
“Particularly after we had already on this Olympic Video games different instances, when athletes in nearly equal conditions had been handled in a different way and did not face any sanctions,” he stated.
“I’ve actually unhealthy ideas, and I imagine that this example additionally performs together with Russian propaganda,” he added.
Heraskevych stated Ukrainians had been being “killed for nothing” within the struggle, including: “I imagine we should always honour individuals who sacrificed their lives.”
IOC spokesman Mark Adams advised a press briefing in Milan that Olympic chiefs “dearly wished him to compete”.
“It could have despatched a really highly effective message,” he added. “It’s not about his message, it isn’t concerning the message he wished to offer, it’s the place. We can not have athletes having strain placed on them by their political masters.”
Ukrainian followers on the skeleton venue expressed their dismay over the IOC’s resolution.
Irina Nalivayko, from Kyiv, stated: “These those that he confirmed in his helmet, they’re actual those that died due to the Russian invasion.
“The struggle continues to be going, we’re nonetheless freezing, we nonetheless haven’t any electrical energy. Persons are nonetheless dying and this isn’t good. It is unacceptable.”
Heraskevych displayed a banner that learn “No Warfare in Ukraine” on the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, simply days earlier than Russia launched the invasion of its neighbour.
The battle has resulted in an enormous wave of destruction that has left whole cities in ruins and killed tens of hundreds of troopers and civilians, whereas forcing hundreds of thousands to flee their houses.
Printed – February 13, 2026 06:15 pm IST