Olympic Committee bans Ukrainian skeleton race helmet depicting compatriots killed in Russian war

Milan – Olympic officials will not allow Ukrainian skeleton runner Vladyslav Heraskevych to wear a helmet displaying images of other Ukrainian athletes killed in Ukraine. Russia’s war in his country when he competes in 2026 Winter Games in Italy, according to a letter from the International Olympic Committee to the Ukrainian Olympic team.

“It’s a decision that just breaks my heart,” Heraskevych said in a social media post overnight. “The feeling that the IOC betrays those athletes who were part of the Olympic movement, does not allow them to be honored in the stadium where these athletes will not be able to step again, despite the events that happened in modern times and in the past when the IOC allows such payments. This time they decided to put special rules just for Ukraine.”

In a letter from the IOC, which the Ukrainian Olympic team shared with CBS News, the committee said, “sadly, today’s world is divided and full of conflicts and tragedies. The IOC has spoken from the beginning about the situation of sports in Ukraine after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The IOC fully understands the desire of athletes to remember their friends who lost their lives due to many conflicts around the world.”

However, the IOC said that “the focus of the Olympic Games must always be on the sports of athletes, sports and the international unity and harmony that the Olympic Games seek to advance. It is a fundamental principle, applied equally to all teams and athletes, that sports in the Olympic Games must be separated from political, religious or any other form of interference.”

Heraskevych said “like all other athletes, he will not be able to compete with a helmet (as he used it during training sessions and was posted on social media) … This being said, the IOC is willing to make an exception to the Guidelines in this specific case if the athlete wishes to pay tribute to other athletes and express his grief by wearing a personal black belt or ribbon.”

Heraskevych previously said on social media that many of those depicted on his helmets were athletes, some of whom were killed while defending Ukraine, others were shot by Russian bombers.

“Among them there are representatives of the summer games and the winter games. Among them are the Olympians – members of the so-called Olympic family,”

Heraskevych said his national team teammate Dmytro Sharper was featured on the helmet, along with boxer Maksym Halinichev, who won a medal at the Youth Olympics. He also said that there are a number of children and people who support sports who are already experienced.

“I will compete with them,” said Heraskevych.

“His hat has pictures of our athletes who were killed by Russia. Skier Dmytro Sharpar, who died in the battles near Bakhmut, 19-year-old athlete Yevhen Malyshev, who was killed by athletes near Kharkiv, and other athletes who lost their lives in the Russian war,” said the late President of Ukraine Zelenskyymy.

“I thank Vladislav Heraskevich, the flag bearer of our team at the Winter Olympics, for reminding the world of the value of our struggle. This fact cannot interfere, be inappropriate, or be called ‘political action at sports events,'” said Zelenskyy. “It’s a reminder to the whole world of what Russia is like today. And it’s what reminds everyone of the role of global sports and the historic mission of the Olympic organization as it is. It’s all about peace and for life. Ukraine is loyal to this. Russia is proving the opposite.”

On Tuesday, a spokesman for Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Heorhii Tykhyi, told CBS News that the Ukrainian government regrets the IOC’s decision, and that nearly 800 sports facilities in Ukraine have been destroyed or damaged by Russian strikes, including at least 20 Olympic, Paralympic and Deaflympic training sites.

“This is a simple gesture to honor the hundreds of Ukrainian athletes killed by Russia during this war, and there is nothing illegal or political or inappropriate about this,” said Tykhyi. “Officers may want to close their eyes to see the truth, but the problem is that the truth does not end if you close your eyes and if you just want to ignore the biggest war of aggression in Europe since World War II that is happening right now at this moment of the Olympic Games.”