Who is Vladyslav Heraskevych?
Vladyslav Heraskevych, from Kyiv, became Ukraine’s first Olympic skeleton competitor at Pyeongchang 2018 and also raced in Beijing 2022. After his third run in Beijing he held up a sign saying “No war in Ukraine”; Russia launched its large-scale invasion 13 days later. Since then he has used his profile to draw attention to Ukraine’s suffering and to call for tougher sanctions on Russian sport. He was one of Ukraine’s flag bearers at the Milano Cortina opening ceremony. Heraskevych finished 12th in 2018 and 18th in 2022, and some observers had considered him a potential medal contender this time.
What is the dispute with the IOC?
Heraskevych wanted to compete and train wearing a so-called “helmet of remembrance” that displays images of Ukrainian athletes killed during Russia’s war on Ukraine. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) ruled the helmet breached Rule 50 of the Olympic Charter, which prohibits demonstrations or political, religious or racial propaganda at Olympic sites and venues.
The IOC said the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation jury acted after Heraskevych refused to follow the IOC’s Guidelines on Athlete Expression and that the helmet was not compliant. The IOC Athletes’ Commission guidelines, published in 2020, allow athletes to express political views at press conferences, in mixed zones, at team meetings, on social media or through media outlets — but not during competition. IOC spokesman Mark Adams said: “There are 130 conflicts going on in the world. We cannot have 130 different conflicts featured, however terrible they are, during the field of play, during the actual competition.” In short, the IOC has said athletes may speak outside competition but not while racing.
How have similar gestures been handled?
There are precedents of athletes making personal tributes without penalty. US figure skater Maxim Naumov displayed a photo of his parents after his short program in Milan without objection, and German weightlifter Matthias Steiner famously held up a photo of his late wife after winning in Beijing 2008. The IOC has said those cases are not comparable under the current rules; Adams described Naumov’s gesture as “very emotional, very human, spontaneous” and repeated that expression during the event should not take place on the field of play.
What happened to Heraskevych at the Games?
The IOC announced his disqualification shortly before his scheduled race. It initially said he had been stripped of accreditation and asked to leave the Olympic Village, but that decision was later rescinded at the request of IOC President Kirsty Coventry. Heraskevych said afterwards: “It’s hard to say or put into words. It’s emptiness.” Although he could no longer compete, he appealed the ruling to the Court of Administration for Sport, which heard his case. He was formally disqualified on February 12.
Reactions
Heraskevych received public backing from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who wrote on X that the decision ran counter to the spirit of the Games: “Sport shouldn’t mean amnesia, and the Olympic movement should help stop wars, not play into the hands of aggressors.” IOC President Kirsty Coventry said she had hoped for a resolution that would have allowed him to race and was visibly emotional when discussing the ruling. Germany’s three-time Olympic luge champion Felix Loch said he regretted the outcome but noted the rules were clear, and suggested the decision attracted attention because of its wider implications.
Heraskevych remains active on social media; he posted a photo of himself wearing the helmet with the caption: “This is price of our dignity.”
Note: This article was originally published in German and updated after Heraskevych was formally disqualified on February 12.