IOC bans Ukrainian skeleton pilot Vladyslav Heraskevych over 'helmet of remembrance'

Ukrainian skeleton pilot Vladyslav Heraskevych says being banned from competing at the Winter Olympics is the "price of our dignity".

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has banned Heraskevych for continuing to wear a helmet featuring images of athletes killed during Russia's invasion of his home country, which the IOC says breaks its rules.

Heraskevych, who wore the helmet in all of his training runs before the competition began on Thursday, was told by the IOC on Tuesday it "does not comply" with the Olympic charter and that he was not allowed to wear it.

IOC president Kirsty Coventry visited the 26-year-old at Cortina's sliding track at 07:30 local time on Thursday before the first skeleton heat in a final attempt to convince him not to wear the helmet in competition.

But the IOC said Heraskevych "did not consider any form of compromise".

It said: "The IOC was very keen for Mr Heraskevych to compete. This is why the IOC sat down with him to look for the most respectful way to address his desire to remember his fellow athletes who have lost their lives following Russia's invasion of Ukraine."

The IOC added that Heraskevych, who was considered to have an outside chance of a medal based on his training times, had been banned for contravening athlete guidelines, rather than because of displaying political propaganda.

Responding on social media after being banned, Heraskevych wrote:, external "This is [the] price of our dignity."

Speaking to BBC Sport, he added: "I could be among the medallists in this event, but suddenly because of some interpretation of the rules which I do not agree with, I am not able to compete while other athletes in the same situation were able to compete, and they didn't face any sanctions."

Later on Thursday, it was confirmed Heraskevych has made an urgent appeal against the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

CAS can hold ad-hoc committees during the Games, meaning his appeal will be heard immediately - although BBC Sport understands there is currently no timeframe for a decision.

MaxMouseOCX on February 12nd, 2026 at 13:52 UTC »

That's it?! I assumed something was written on the helmet, it's just pictures of fallen colleagues who wouldn't be dead if Russia hadn't invaded... The helmet is safe, let him run it you absolute muppets.

October__Cat on February 12nd, 2026 at 13:22 UTC »

The International Olympic Committee’s decision to disqualify Vlad Heraskevych could be studied in universities—at philosophy departments—as an example of refined, boundless cynicism and Pharisaic hypocrisy.

Let’s unpack this bouquet. Vlad is being disqualified because his helmet bears the images of fallen Ukrainian athletes. There is no inscription saying Russia killed them. The IOC sees “politics” not even in what is shown, but in what is not explicitly stated—yet known, first and foremost, to themselves. They know those athletes were killed by their Russian friends and patrons; it makes them uncomfortable—so Vlad must go.

We are in a situation where the victim of a crime is told: if you cry out, we will be forced to escort you out of our respectable society. Even if you do not call for help, even if you do not curse, even if you do not name the criminal—the mere fact of your cry, your tears, or your grief will be deemed by us as not comme il faut, as an attempt to ruin the celebration—because we know who is really torturing you. And you will be sent away.

And this is not some trick by a lone psychopath; this is the official position of a major international organization, voiced from the highest podiums in the world.

By the lowest people in the world.

GlacialCycles on February 12nd, 2026 at 12:31 UTC »

As someone who doesn't care much about the Olympics, I would not have seen the helmet if there was no drama around it.

As far as I'm concerned, he won the race by default. Good for him for not backing down.

Edit: Uh, wasn't expecting this to be my upvoted comment ever, so will add some more thoughts.

Participating in an event he trained for all his life probably would be more meaningful than some random internet commenter who doesn't care much about the olympics validating him.

He's devastated and this will have an impact on his career.

Fuck the IOC for this. And fuck them for allowing russians to participate.