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Join our Fantasy SRP leagueUkraine's Heraskevych out of Games over war dead helmet
AP • February 13th, 2026 6:00 am
Ukraine's Vladyslav Heraskevych has been banned from the Olympics over his controversial helmet | Photo: AP
Ukrainian skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych is out of the Milan-Cortina Games after refusing a last-minute plea from the International Olympic Committee to use a helmet other than one honouring athletes killed in the war with Russia.
iIn response, the 27-year-old athlete was awarded with Ukraine's second-highest honour, the Order of Freedom.
"We are proud of Vladyslav and of what he did. Having courage is worth more than any medal," President Volodymyr Zelensky said on X.
Zelensky named the IOC decision "morally appalling" and said in another post that 660 Ukrainian athletes and coaches have been killed in the war.
IOC president Kirsty Coventry was waiting for Heraskevych at the top of the track when he arrived around 8:15am on Thursday, roughly 75 minutes before the start of the men's skeleton race.
They went into a private area and spoke briefly, and Coventry was unable to change Heraskevych's mind. He was holding the decision from the International Bobsled and Skeleton Federation when he briefly addressed reporters and said he would appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
"It's hard to say or put into words. It's emptiness," said Heraskevych who captioned a picture of himself wearing the helmet with the words, "This is the price of our dignity" on Instagram.
"I believe they deserve this moment," he added of the athletes depicted. "Certainly I do not get my moment at this Olympics, despite I would say pretty good results in the training runs. I really believe we could be among the medallists, but we will not be able to race."
The IOC initially stripped Heraskevych of his accreditation too, but later relented. However, his chance to compete was gone.
Coventry spoke with reporters after the meeting, tears rolling down her face as she spoke.
"It's a message of memory and no one is disagreeing with that," Coventry said.
The IOC added that it made its decision "with regret."
Vladyslav Heraskevych arrives at the sliding centre moments before being told of the IOC's ruling | Photo: AP
"Despite multiple exchanges and in-person meetings between the IOC and Mr Heraskevych, the last one this morning with IOC President Kirsty Coventry, he did not consider any form of compromise," the IOC said in a statement.
"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 essence of this case is not about the message, it is about where he wanted to express it."
Soon after the IOC's decision, Latvia coach Ivo Steinbergs told Reuters his team had sent a protest to the IBSF requesting Heraskevych's reinstatement.
Heraskevych came to the Olympics with a customised helmet showing the faces of more than 20 Ukrainian athletes and coaches who were killed during the war, a conflict that started soon after the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics ended.
The IOC said on Monday night that the helmet wouldn't be allowed in competition, citing a rule against making political statements on the Olympic field of play.
Heraskevych wore the helmet for training Tuesday and Wednesday anyway, knowing the IOC could ultimately keep him from the Olympic race.
"The helmet does not violate any IOC rules," Heraskevych said.
The IOC had sided with Heraskevych before. When he displayed a "No war in Ukraine" sign after his fourth and final run at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, the IOC said he was simply calling for peace and did not find him in violation of the Olympic charter.
The first two runs of the race were Thursday, with the final two runs on Friday night. Heraskevych was a legitimate medal hopeful.
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