Olympic Committee denies Ukrainian athlete permission to compete with helmet featuring images of fallen soldiers.
Olympic Committee Decision
The International Olympic Committee has ruled that Vladyslav Heraskewycz cannot compete at the upcoming Winter Olympics in Italy with a helmet commemorating Ukrainian war victims. The IOC cited a provision from the Olympic Charter that prohibits political demonstrations during the games.
Alternative Arrangement
The IOC did, however, allow Heraskewycz to wear a black armband during competition. Mark Adams, an IOC spokesman, stated that displaying images of deceased athletes on the helmet was an attempt to circumvent Olympic regulations. The athlete wore the commemorative helmet only during training sessions.
Previous Precedent
Heraskewycz noted that he had previously expressed tribute to war victims during the Beijing Winter Olympics without facing any issues. He also pointed out that Russian flags appearing in the stands and on another athlete’s helmet during the current games were not considered a violation by the IOC.
