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

Milan — Olympic officials will not allow Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych to wear a helmet showing images of some of his fellow Ukrainian athletes who have been killed in Russia’s war on his country when he competes in the 2026 Winter Games in Italy, according to a letter from the International Olympic Committee to Ukraine’s 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 those athletes who were part of the Olympic movement, not allowing them to be honored on the sports arena where these athletes will never be able to step again, despite precedents in modern times and in the past when the IOC allowed such tributes. This time they decided to set 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 addressed from the beginning the situation of Ukrainian sports following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The IOC fully understands the desire of the athletes to remember their friends who have lost their lives as a result of many conflicts around the world.”

The IOC said, however, that “the focus of the Olympic Games must remain on athletes’ performances, sport and the international unity and harmony that the Olympic Games seek to advance. 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.”

It said Heraskevych “like all other athletes, will not be able to compete with a personalized helmet (as he used in training sessions and posted on social media) … This being said, the IOC is willing to make an exception to the Guidelines in this specific case should the athlete wish to pay tribute to his fellow athletes and express his sorrow by wearing a black armband or ribbon without any personalization.”

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

“Among them are representatives of summer sports and winter sports. Among them are Olympicians – 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 supported veteran sports were depicted.

“I will compete for them,” Heraskevych said.

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

“I thank Vladislav Heraskevich, the flag bearer of our team at the Winter Olympics, for reminding the world of the price of our struggle. This truth cannot be inconvenient, inappropriate, or called a ‘political action at sporting events,'” Zelenskyy said. “It is a reminder to the whole world of what modern Russia is like. And this is what reminds everyone of the global role of sport and the historical mission of the Olympic movement as such. It is all about peace and for the sake of life. Ukraine is faithful to this. Russia proves the opposite.”