Ukrainian Athlete Banned Over Memorial Helmet

Ukrainian skeleton slider Vladyslav Heraskevych was disqualified from the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics on Thursday. He had been his country's flagbearer at the opening ceremony.

Heraskevych wanted to compete wearing a helmet with artwork depicting Ukrainian athletes killed during the Russian invasion. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said this violated the Olympic charter. They informed him on Tuesday that he could not wear the helmet during competition.

After two days of discussions, Heraskevych refused to back down. On Thursday morning, his disqualification was confirmed. Many former and current Olympic athletes expressed shock and condemnation. Lizzy Yarnold, a two-time Olympic gold medallist, called the decision "quite shocking."

Heraskevych told the BBC he felt only "emptiness." He said he could have been among the medallists but was suddenly unable to compete. His teammates showed support throughout Thursday's competition, displaying messages of solidarity.