Olympic Committee bars Ukrainian skeleton racer’s helmet showing compatriots killed in Russia’s war

Milan — Olympic officials won’t allow Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych to wear helmet showing images of some of his fellow Ukrainian athletes killed Russia’s war against its country when he participates in 2026 Winter Games in Italy, according to a letter from the International Olympic Committee to the Ukrainian Olympic delegation.

It’s “a decision that simply breaks my heart,” Heraskevych said in a social media post overnight. “The feeling that the IOC is betraying the athletes who were part of the Olympic movement, by not allowing them to be honored on the sporting stage where these athletes will never be able to rise again, despite the precedents of modern times and the past where the IOC allowed such tributes. This time they decided to establish special rules only for Ukraine.”

In a letter from the IOC, which the Ukrainian Olympic team shared with CBS News, the committee said: “Unfortunately, today’s world is divided and full of conflict and tragedy. The IOC has from the beginning addressed the situation of Ukrainian sports following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The IOC fully understands the desire of athletes to remember their friends who lost their lives as a result of numerous conflicts around the world.”

The IOC, however, stated that “the Olympic Games must remain focused on athlete performance, sport and the international unity and harmony that the Olympic Games seek to promote. It is a fundamental principle, applied equally to all delegations and athletes, that sports at the Olympic Games must be separated from political, religious or any other type of interference.”

Heraskevych “like all other athletes, will not be able to compete with a personalized helmet (as he used during training sessions and posted on social media)… That 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 his fellow athletes and express his sadness by wearing a black armband or ribbon without any personalization.”

Heraskevych said earlier on social media that many of the people depicted on his helmet were athletes, some of whom were killed while defending Ukraine, others by Russian bombing.

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

Heraskevych said his national teammate Dmytro Sharper was depicted on the helmet, as well as boxer Maksym Halinichev, a Youth Olympic medalist. He also said a number of children and people who support veteran sports were represented.

“I will compete for them,” Heraskevych said.

“His helmet bears the portraits of our athletes killed by Russia. Figure skater Dmytro Sharpar, who died in the fighting near Bakhmut, 19-year-old biathlete Yevhen Malyshev, killed by the occupiers near Kharkiv, and other athletes who lost their lives in the war in Russia,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Tuesday morning.

“I thank Vladislav Heraskevich, the standard bearer of our team at the Winter Olympics, for reminding the world of the price of our struggle. This truth cannot be embarrassing, inappropriate or called ‘political action at sporting events,'” Zelenskyy said. “It’s a reminder to the whole world of what modern Russia is. And it’s what reminds everyone of the global role of sport and the historic mission of the Olympic movement as such. It’s about peace and for the good of life. Ukraine is true to it. Russia proves otherwise.”