'Nobody Was Complaining...': Vladyslav Heraskevych Irked By IOC's 'Purely Discriminatory Decision'!

Last Updated:February 14, 2026, 11:18 IST

Heraskevych, who was disqualified from the Winter Olympics 2026, revealed that he was frustrated by the discriminatory decision to bar him from the quadrennial spectacle.

Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych, who was disqualified from the Winter Olympics 2026, revealed that he was frustrated by the discriminatory decision to omit him from the quadrennial spectacle for wearing a helmet with pictures of his country’s war dead.

“It’s frustrating," said the 27-year-old racer after losing his appeal against his disqualification.

“Nobody was complaining about this helmet, so it was a purely discriminatory decision by the International Olympic Committee and I should be there," he added.

Political gestures during competition are prohibited under the Olympic charter, and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) stated that Heraskevych did not follow the IOC athlete expression guidelines. This decision caused outrage in Ukraine, with President Volodymyr Zelensky claiming it supported the aggressors.

Olympic athletes can appeal decisions made by their sport’s federations at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which is currently in Milan.

After the CAS hearing, Heraskevych said he was grateful for the opportunity to speak and felt they were treated equally. He expressed optimism about the outcome, stating, “I hope truth will prevail, as I know I am innocent."

The qualifying for Heraskevych’s event took place on Thursday, with the final scheduled for Friday. His reinstatement’s implications remain unclear.

IOC spokesperson Mark Adams commented that speculating on the court case outcome at this stage is unhelpful, and they will address the result accordingly once the decision is made.

Kirsty Coventry, the IOC president and a former Olympic gold medallist in swimming, met with Heraskevych, who was one of Ukraine’s flag bearers at the opening ceremony, on Thursday. She tried unsuccessfully to persuade him to change his mind about the helmet before his competition began.

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