Skeleton Athlete Disqualified Over Helmet With Images Of Ukrainians Killed In War

1 month ago

The Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych has been kicked retired of nan Winter Olympics aft he refused to backmost down from wearing a “helmet of memory” successful honour of Ukraine’s warfare dead.

The determination was announced by nan International Olympic Committee conscionable 21 minutes earlier nan first information of nan men’s skeleton title successful Cortina connected Thursday aft last-ditch talks betwixt nan IOC president, Kirsty Coventry, and Heraskevych grounded to find a breakthrough.

In a terse statement, nan IOC said it had removed Heraskevych’s legalization because of “his refusal to comply pinch nan IOC’s Guidelines connected Athlete Expression”.

“Having been fixed 1 last opportunity, skeleton aviator Vladylsav Heraskevych from Ukraine will not beryllium capable to commencement his title astatine nan Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games this morning,” it said.

“The determination followed his refusal to comply pinch nan IOC’s Guidelines connected Athlete Expression. It was taken by nan assemblage of nan International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation based connected nan truth that nan helmet he intended to deterioration was not compliant pinch nan rules.”

“The IOC has truthful decided pinch regret to retreat his legalization for nan Milano Cortina 2026 Games.”

Heraskevych was seen arsenic a contender for a badge but being stripped of his legalization intends he now needs to time off nan Olympic Games instantly and will not beryllium allowed backmost into nan athletes’ village.

Reacting to his disqualification, Heraskevych told reporters astatine nan track: “It’s difficult to opportunity aliases put into words. It’s emptiness.”

He besides confirmed that he would entreaty to nan tribunal of arbitration for sport, but pinch nan title already underway location seems small dream of success.

The determination was instantly criticised by Britain’s skeleton Olympic champion Lizzy Yarnold, who said that nan Heraskevych was owed an apology by nan IOC.

“It’s really rather shocking,” she said. “Lots of nan sliding organization person been successful interaction consecutive away. There is daze and confusion.

“The guidance to thing which was an enactment of memorial, and incredibly emotionally important to him, I’m rather shocked. I deliberation nan IOC owes him an apology. I deliberation this was nan incorrect decision. He was besides a badge contender for nan race. He’s a phenomenal athlete.”

Ukraine’s Vladyslav Heraskevych takes portion successful nan skeleton men’s training convention astatine Cortina.

Under Article 50 of nan Olympic Charter, governmental statements are forbidden while successful competition. However, nan Ukrainian delegation had insisted each week that nan helmet, which shows 24 images of athletes and children killed since Russia’s invasion, did not break immoderate laws because nan helmet is astir remembrance.

However that statement yet fell connected deaf ears, contempt galore meetings pinch nan IOC, who claimed that Heraskevych refused to perceive to immoderate shape of compromise, including nan connection to deterioration a achromatic armband.

“Despite aggregate exchanges and in-person meetings betwixt nan IOC and Mr Heraskevych, nan past 1 this greeting pinch IOC President Kirsty Coventry, he did not see immoderate shape of compromise,” nan IOC connection said.

Coventry said pinch reporters aft nan meeting, tears rolling down her look arsenic she spoke. “I was not meant to beryllium present but I thought it was really important to travel present and talk to him look to face,” she said.

“No one, particularly me, is disagreeing pinch nan messaging, it’s a powerful message, it’s a connection of remembrance, of memory. The situation was to find a solution for nan section of play. Sadly we’ve not been capable to find that solution” she added, choking up. “I really wanted to spot him race, It’s been an affectional morning.”

Earlier connected Thursday, Heraskevych made a past plea to nan IOC to let him to compete wearing his helmet.

“I ne'er wanted a ungraded pinch nan IOC, and I did not create it,” he said. “The IOC created it pinch its mentation of nan rules, which galore position arsenic discriminatory.

“Although this ungraded has made it imaginable to loudly speak astir Ukrainian athletes who person been killed, astatine nan aforesaid clip nan very truth of nan ungraded distracts a tremendous magnitude of attraction distant from nan competitions themselves and from nan athletes participating successful them.

That is why I propose to extremity nan scandal. I ask: 1. Lift nan prohibition connected nan usage of nan “Memory Helmet”. 2. Apologise for nan unit that has been put connected maine complete nan past fewer days. 3. As a motion of solidarity pinch Ukrainian sport, supply electrical generators for Ukrainian sports accommodation that are suffering from regular shellings.”

It was a telephone that went unheeded.