Ukraine's Vladyslav Heraskevych was barred from competing in the Milan/Cortina Olympics over a dispute concerning a helmet he wanted to wear in the skeleton event to honour athletes killed in the war with Russia.

The Ukrainian Olympic athlete Vladislav Heraskevych displays the memorial helmet that resulted in his ban.

Ukraine's Vladyslav Heraskevych has been banned from competing in the Olympic skeleton event over a helmet dispute, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has said. Heraskevych wanted to wear a helmet commemorating Ukrainian athletes who died in the war with Russia in the competition which starts later Thursday.

A Ukrainian skeleton racer has been banned from competing at the Winter Olympics after wearing a helmet honoring athletes who have died in the Ukraine War. The International Olympics Committee (IOC) set out its reasoning in a lengthy statement this morning after Vladyslav Heraskevych had questioned whether “this is the price of our dignity” on

Ukraine’s Vladyslav Heraskevych was disqualified from the Olympic skeleton competition yesterday over his “helmet of remembrance” depicting athletes killed since Russia’s invasion of his country, despite a last-minute appeal from a tearful IOC president.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he was "proud" of Vladylsav Heraskevych, adding, "Having courage is worth more than any medal."

As Ukrainian athletes prepare for the 2026 Winter Olympics, they will seek to boost the morale of their compatriots in Ukraine amid an ongoing war and a brutal winter.

Ukrainian artist Iryna Prots, 52, who painted the helmet that led to skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych being barred from the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, says the tribute to over 20 athletes killed in Russia’s invasion had to be done.

IOC disqualifies Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych for helmet honoring war dead, sparking criticism from President Zelenskyy.