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≡ HERASKEVYCH DISQUALIFIED ≡
The official announcement came through at 9:55 a.m. in Cortina:
“Skeleton pilot Vladyslav Heraskevych (UKR) has been withdrawn from the startlist of Milano Cortina 2026 Men’s Skeleton event on 12th February 2026 after refusing to adhere to IOC Guidelines on Athlete Expression.”
This culminated a dramatic back-and-forth discussion between the International Olympic Committee and Heraskevych with the IOC sending a letter on 10 February that while he was allowed to wear his “Memory Helmet” picturing images of Ukrainian athletes killed in Russia’s continuing invasion in training session, he would not be able to do so in competition.
A second letter was sent to Heraskevych on Wednesday (11th) and on Thursday, and an in-person discussion took place at the Olympic Village in Cortina. Heraskevych insisted on wearing the helmet in competition and when he came to the Cortina track, he met with IOC President Kirsty Coventry (ZIM) at 7:30 a.m. and refused to change his stance.
So, he was disqualified. In the IOC’s statement:
“The IOC was very keen for Mr Heraskevych to compete. This is why the IOC sat down with him to look for the most respectful way to address his desire to remember his fellow athletes who have lost their lives following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The essence of this case is not about the message, it is about where he wanted to express it.”
The statement noted that the IOC withdrew his accreditation for the Games. But that changed.
Coventry, who as the then-head of the IOC Athletes’ Commission helped to develop the athlete expression rules, was clearly emotional as she spoke to reporters following the meeting in Cortina and explained:
“I felt that it was really important to come and talk to him face to face.
“Athletes asked us to keep certain areas – the field of play, the podium and the Olympic Village – safe zones. How could we keep them safe in order to not be asked to use the field of play or the podium for something that they didn’t agree with?
“No one – no one, especially me – is disagreeing with the messaging. The messaging is a powerful message. It’s a message of remembrance. It’s a message of memory.
“It’s not about the messaging; it’s literally about the rules and the regulations. In this case – the field of play – we have to be able to keep a safe environment for everyone. And sadly, that just means no messaging is allowed.
“We could find ways where we can pay homage to his message, to his helmet, before he races. And sadly, we’ve not been able to come to that solution.”
Coventry interceded with the IOC Disciplinary Commission and asked for Heraskevych’s accreditation to be restored, and it was, so he can continue to be at the Games.
Before the final meeting with Coventry, Heraskevych posted on X his requests:
“1. Lift the ban on the use of the ‘Memory Helmet.’
“2. Apologize for the pressure that has been put on me over the past few days.
“3. As a sign of solidarity with Ukrainian sport, provide electric generators for Ukrainian sports facilities that are suffering from daily shellings.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted, in part:
“I thank our athlete for his clear stance. His helmet, bearing the portraits of fallen Ukrainian athletes, is about honour and remembrance. It is a reminder to the whole world of what Russian aggression is and the cost of fighting for independence. And in this, no rule has been broken.
“It is Russia that constantly violates Olympic principles, using the period of the Olympic Games to wage war. In 2008, it was the war against Georgia; in 2014 – the occupation of Crimea; in 2022 – the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. And now, in 2026, despite repeated calls for a ceasefire during the Winter Olympics, Russia shows complete disregard, increasing missile and drone strikes on our energy infrastructure and our people.”
The Ukrainian National Olympic Committee announcement of the disqualification noted:
“The NOC of Ukraine and the national team of Ukraine have consistently supported Vladyslav in his conscious choice. The NOC of Ukraine does not see any violations in the athlete’s actions and will continue to defend the right of Ukrainian athletes to represent Ukraine on the international stage.”
Heraskevych added in the story, “We paid the price for our dignity.”
What is the impact of all this? Let’s point to these:
● Ukraine’s future depends, in large part, on winning the hearts and minds of people around the world. Heraskevych’s actions will be the emotional signature of this Winter Games and made a magnificent statement on behalf of his country.
Heraskevych’s stance recalls the climactic line from the 1983 techno-thriller “War Games,” when the computer “Joshua” considers all possible nuclear-war scenarios and states, “The only winning move is not to play.” And Heraskevych won by not playing.
He knew exactly what he was doing; at 27, this was his third Games, after he finished 12th in 2018 and 18th in 2022. And he was not going to contend for a medal in 2026. But he rose above the competition, even as he sacrificed his own place in it.
● The IOC’s stance was right. As painful as the decision was, the ban on field-of-play messaging will, in the future, retard future attempts by others – such as Russia – to insert governmental messages into athlete uniforms or something just as clever.
● The loser is Russia, no doubt. Not in Russia, but among those who have, are and will continue to support Ukraine against the Russian invasion that began two days after the close of the 2022 Winter Games.
The 2026 Winter Games go on. Although Heraskevych was not allowed to compete, he won. Ukraine won. Looking into the future, the IOC won, too, although it may not seem like it right now.
Rich Perelman
Editor
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