In a dramatic and emotional development at the Milano Cortina Winter Games, Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych was disqualified on Thursday over his use of a helmet depicting Ukrainian athletes killed in the ongoing war with Russia. The International Olympic Committee announced the decision, which has ignited controversy and an immediate appeal from his team.
Last-Ditch Meeting Fails to Resolve Impasse
IOC President Kirsty Coventry met with Heraskevych early in the morning at the sliding venue, just before his competition was set to begin. Coventry expressed deep personal regret, stating she had traveled specifically to speak with him face-to-face in a final attempt to find a resolution. "I was not meant to be here but I thought it was really important to come here and talk to him face to face," Coventry told reporters, visibly emotional. "No one, especially me, is disagreeing with the messaging, it’s a powerful message, it’s a message of remembrance, of memory."
However, she emphasized that the core issue revolved around Olympic regulations. "The challenge was to find a solution for the field of play. Sadly we’ve not been able to find that solution," she added, choking up. "I really wanted to see him race. It’s been an emotional morning." Coventry clarified that the disqualification was strictly about maintaining a neutral competitive environment, noting, "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."
Helmet of Remembrance and Offered Compromises
The IOC had proposed a compromise, allowing Heraskevych to display his "helmet of remembrance"—which features 24 images of deceased compatriots—before and after Thursday's race, and permitting him to wear a black armband while competing. Despite these offers, the athlete chose to wear the helmet during the event, leading to his disqualification.
Heraskevych responded with defiance and sorrow. "I am disqualified from the race. I will not get my Olympic moment," he said. "They were killed, but their voice is so loud that the IOC is afraid of them. I told Coventry that this decision plays along with Russia’s narrative." He further asserted, "I sincerely believe that it is precisely because of their sacrifice that these Olympic Games can take place at all today. Even though the IOC wants to betray the memory of these athletes, I will not betray them." This is not his first political statement at the Olympics; he displayed a "No War in Ukraine" sign at the Beijing 2022 Games just days before Russia's invasion.
Appeal and Broader Context of Olympic Protests
Ukraine's Olympic Committee, which supported Heraskevych, stated it does not plan to boycott the Games over the disqualification. Meanwhile, Latvian coach Ivo Steinbergs has filed a protest with the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation to reinstate the athlete, and Heraskevych's team is appealing the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
This incident is part of a long history of Olympic sanctions for political messages. The most famous case occurred at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, when U.S. sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised black-gloved fists during the 200m medal ceremony to protest racial injustice in the United States, leading to their expulsion from the Games. More recently, at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Afghan breakdancer Manizha Talash, a member of the refugee Olympic team, was disqualified for wearing a cape with the slogan "Free Afghan Women" during a pre-qualifying competition.
The skeleton competition proceeded on Thursday morning without Heraskevych, leaving a poignant reminder of the ongoing tensions between athletic expression and Olympic neutrality in times of conflict.
