Ukrainian Heraskevych disqualified from Olympic skeleton event for helmet of dead athletes from war

Ukrainian Vladyslav Heraskevych was disqualified from the Olympic skeleton competition on Thursday for his helmet depicting athletes who had died from the war with Russia.Heraskevych, 27, who had been training in Italy with the helmet showing two dozen dead Ukrainian athletes, was barred from the competition and initially told he would be stripped of his accreditation just minutes before the event was due to start at the sliding venue, Reuters reported.
Later, the International Olympic Committee said Heraskevych was allowed to keep his credentials and stay at the Milano Cortina Games after IOC President Kirsty Coventry asked its Disciplinary Commission to “reconsider the withdrawal” of his accreditation.
“I am disqualified from the race. I will not get my Olympic moment,” Heraskevych said. “They (Ukrainian athletes) were killed, but their voice is so loud that the IOC is afraid of them.”
“Even though the IOC wants to betray the memory of these athletes, I will not betray them,” he added.
“I sincerely believe that it is precisely because of their sacrifice that these Olympic Games can take place at all today.”
Later on Thursday, at the Olympic village, Heraskevych said, “I really think we could have won a medal and I feel it was taken away from me.”
Heraskevych’s team said that they would appeal the IOC’s decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
According to the IOC, by wearing the helmet, Heraskevych would have violated rules that keep politics off the field of play.
“No one, especially me, is disagreeing with the messaging, it’s a powerful message, it’s a message of remembrance, of memory,” Coventry said.
The IOC had suggested compromises, such as wearing a black armband or showing the helmet before and after racing.
“Sadly we’ve not been able to find that solution. I really wanted to see him race. It’s been an emotional morning,” she said.
“It’s literally about the rules and the regulations and that in this case … we have to be able to keep a safe environment for everyone and, sadly, that just means no messaging is allowed.”
Ukraine’s Youth and Sports Minister Matvii Bidnyi told Reuters regarding Heraskevych, “He did not wear a helmet with political leaders or parties. He wore a helmet with our national heroes, with athletes who were killed by Russia. We are here only because of our defenders dying every day. Why can’t we commemorate them.”

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