Ukrainian short track athlete Oleh Handei was not allowed to compete at the Olympics wearing a helmet with a quote from Lina Kostenko

Short track athlete Oleh Handei was banned from participating in the Olympic Games wearing a helmet with a quote from Ukrainian writer Lina Kostenko, "Where heroism takes place, there is no final defeat".

He told this to Suspilne Sport.

According to Handei, the words of the Ukrainian writer were perceived by the International Skating Union (ISU) as a political slogan, although for the athlete and his team, they are motivational words.

"I translated it word for word to them. Nope, they say that itʼs a political slogan. Itʼs just motivational words for me, for my team and the country. Why not? They say itʼs impossible, itʼs political and itʼs propaganda," said Handei.

He added that Ukraine does not have a single representative in ISU, so athletes do not have support from the organization. This complicates the process of fighting and proving oneʼs point of view regarding such situations.

"I donʼt like the fact that we donʼt have any representatives at all in ISU. Therefore, we have no support, and they can do whatever they want with us. And they made me understand that itʼs better not to do this for the sake of my future career," the athlete noted.

• Oleh Handei became the third Ukrainian athlete to be banned from competing in his own helmet at this yearʼs Olympic Games. Freestyle skater Kateryna Kotsar was unable to compete in a helmet with the inscription "Be brave like Ukrainian," and skeleton skater Vladyslav Heraskevych was banned from competing in a helmet with images of deceased Ukrainian athletes.

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