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Ukrainian skeleton competitor Vladyslav Heraskevych was officially disqualified from his competition at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics today after refusing to remove his personalized helmet depicting images of Ukrainian athletes killed since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced the decision minutes before the start of the men's skeleton competition, saying that Heraskevych (27), who was also the flag bearer for the Ukrainian team, "will not be able to start his competition" after refusing to comply with the IOC's Guidelines for Athlete Expression.
The decision was made by the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF) jury, based on the fact that the helmet did not meet the rules, and the IOC regretfully withdrew his accreditation. The IOC had offered a last-ditch compromise: Heraskevych could wear the “remembrance helmet” (containing 24 images of the slain athletes and coaches) only before and after the competition, while he was allowed to wear a black armband during the competition.
However, the athlete insisted that he would wear the helmet during the race, saying that it was "technically OK."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reacted sharply to X, sharing a post by journalist Piers Morgan who called the decision "disgusting."
Thank you for taking a principled stance, Piers. The IOC's decision is indeed morally appalling. https://t.co/26RnlbIsmX
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) February 12, 2026
"Thank you for taking a principled stand, Piers. The IOC's decision is truly morally appalling ," Zelensky wrote.
Heraskevych has announced that he will appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Meanwhile, many observers see it as a symbol of Ukrainian resistance, where the “price of dignity” was valued over Olympic participation.
shume mire qe e perjashtuan ai qelbesire te shkoje te luftoje sipar urdhrave te karagjozit Zelenski qe e futi vendin ne lufte, shkateroi, vrau popullin e tij dhe vet eshte pasuruar tradhetat, bastard qe do ta mbuloje turpi!! Te zhduket sa me pare