The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has allowed Ukrainian skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych to remain at the Olympic Games, but has banned him from competing.
This was reported by the press service of the International Olympic Committee.
The IOC President Kirsty Coventry asked the head of the organizationʼs disciplinary commission to reverse the decision to revoke the Ukrainian skeleton athleteʼs accreditation, and he agreed.
Coventry said she met with Heraskevych and had a “respectful conversation”. She told reporters about this with tears in her eyes.
According to Coventry, no one, especially her, is against the "powerful" message on the Ukrainian athleteʼs helmet. But, she says, itʼs a matter of the IOC rules to "ensure a safe environment for all participants in the Olympics".
"We set these rules to be fair, but also so that we can do both: give athletes the opportunity to express themselves, but also ensure their safety," the IOC President added.
She also said that she spoke to Heraskevych "not as a president, but as an athlete" and "really wanted him to participate in the competition".
Why was Vladyslav Heraskevych disqualified?
Ukrainian skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych planned to start the first race of this yearʼs Olympic Games wearing a "memory helmet" depicting Ukrainian athletes who died due to Russian aggression. However, the International Olympic Committee did not allow it, stating that it violated the ban on political, racial or religious propaganda.
At the same time, Heraskevych stated that he would continue to skate in this helmet, both in training and in competitions. He noted that he did not consider the "memory helmet" a violation of the IOC rules.
Instead, IOC suggested that he wear a black headband instead of a helmet, but the athlete refused. Ultimately, the Ukrainian skeleton athlete was disqualified.
- Ukrainian Sports Minister Matviy Bidnyi said Ukraine would appeal Heraskevychʼs disqualification "in the legal field". He supported the athlete, saying he "acted with dignity".
- Vladyslav Heraskevych was also supported by President Volodymyr Zelensky and awarded him the Order of Freedom.
- In addition to Heraskevych, two other Ukrainian athletes were banned from competing in their own helmets at this yearʼs Olympics. Freestyle skater Kateryna Kotsar was unable to compete in a helmet with the inscription "Be brave like Ukrainian", and short track speed skater Oleh Handei was unable to compete in a helmet with the quote from Ukrainian writer Lina Kostenko, "Where heroism takes place, there is no final defeat".
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