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

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.

Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych pushed at the limits of the International Olympic Committee's rules on freedom of expression, and the global sports body pushed back.

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.

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

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

Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych was banned by the IOC from competing in the 2026 Winter Olympics on Thursday, Feb. 12 because of his insistence on racing in a helmet depicting athletes who have been killed during Russia's invasion of his country.

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.