TEMA: Generation Jesus
Ukraine athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych is disqualified from the Winter Games over his helmet of remembrance
The Ukraine skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych will not be allowed to race at the Winter Games after wearing a helmet of remembrance for fallen Ukraine athletes. “It’s not about the messaging,” the International Olympic Committee says.
After refusing a last-minute plea from the International Olympic Committee to not use a helmet that honors more than 20 athletes and coaches killed since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, the Ukraine skeleton pilot Vladyslav Heraskevych was disqualified from the Winter Games.
A helmet the Ukraine skeleton pilot has worn during training leading up to the competition. The decision to disqualify Heraskevych came 45 minutes before the start of the race after the IOC asked him to wear a different helmet in races. Instead, they compensated by offer him to wear a black armband or letting him display the helmet once off the ice.
A request Heraskevych refused to follow.
“We didn’t find common ground in this regard,” Heraskevych said in an interview with the press after the disqualification was finalized.
“I believe, deeply, the IBSF and IOC understand that I’m not violating any rules. Also, I would say (it’s) painful that it really looks like discrimination because many athletes already were expressing themselves. ... They didn’t face the same things,” Heraskevych added.
On Thursday morning, the President of the International Olympic Committee, Kirsty Coventry, met with the Ukraine skeleton Pilot to have a conversation about the situation.
“It’s not about the messaging; it’s literally about the rules and the regulations,” said the President of the International Olympic Committee, Kirsty Coventry to the press after the meeting.
She added: “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.”
Vladyslav Heraskevych filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport. On Thursday the first two runs of the skeleton race went on. And Friday the last two runs will take place - without the Ukraine skeleton pilot.
“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,” the IOC President concludes.
