itstargetnews
Ukrainian skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych was disqualified from the Winter Olympics on Thursday after refusing to retire over his banned helmet depicting victims of his country’s war with Russia.
In a statement, the International Olympic Committee said Heraskevych was kicked out of the Milan-Cortina Games “after refusing to comply IOC guidelines for the expression of athletes”.
Heraskevych insisted he would continue to wear the helmet, which featured images of Ukrainian sportsmen and women killed after Russian forces invaded Ukraine 2022, during the men’s skeleton races on Thursday.
This gesture was defended by the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky but Heraskevych is now disqualified.
“Having been given one last chance, skeleton pilot Vladylsav Heraskevych of Ukraine will not be able to start his race at the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympic Winter Games this morning,” the IOC said in a statement.
“The decision follows his refusal to comply with IOC guidelines on athlete expression. It was made by the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF) jury based on the fact that the helmet he intended to wear did not comply with the rules.”
Athletes are allowed to express their views in press conferences and on social media, and on Tuesday the IOC said it would “make an exception” for Heraskevych, allowing him to wear a plain black armband during competition.
The IOC said its president, Kirsty Coventry, spoke to Heraskevych on Thursday morning in a futile attempt to get him to change his mind.
Coventry, the IOC said, “explained the IOC position to him for the last time. As in previous personal meetings, he refused to change his position”.
At the last Olympic Games in Zagreb, Heraskevych displayed a banner with the inscription “No war in Ukraine”. Beijingwith Russia launching an invasion of its neighbor four days after those Olympics ended.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
