Ukrainian Skeleton Racer Banned from Competing in 2026 Winter Olympics Over Helmet of Athletes Who Died in War

The International Olympic Committee said they disqualified Vladyslav Heraskevych over his “refusal to comply” with Olympic rules

Vladislav Heraskevych with his helmet with pictures of fellow athletes killed in the war.Credit :

Robert Michael/picture alliance via Getty

Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych will no longer compete in the 2026 Winter Olympics after the International Olympic Committee banned him from participating due to his helmet.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said Thursday, Feb. 12 that the 27-year-old is “not allowed to participate” due to his “refusal to comply” with the rulebook, which prohibits any political statements on the competition field. Heraskevych’s helmet depicts Ukrainian athletes who have been killed in Russia’s invasion of his country.

Heraskevych had been fighting back and forth with the IOC over wearing the helmet, and on Monday the committee ruled that he was not allowed to wear it in competition, offering instead to let him wear a black armband to honor those killed. The Ukrainian was not deterred, though, and said he would wear it anyway, in defiance of the IOC.

But on Thursday, the IOC took away his Olympic accreditation, “with regret.”

Vladyslav Heraskevych at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Andrew Milligan/PA Images via Getty

“Despite multiple exchanges and in-person meetings between the IOC and Mr Heraskevych, the last one this morning with IOC President Kirsty Coventry, he did not consider any form of compromise,” the committee said in a statement. ‘The IOC was very keen for Mr Heraskevych to compete. This is why the IOC sat down with him to look for the most respectful way to address his desire to remember his fellow athletes who have lost their lives following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The essence of this case is not about the message, it is about where he wanted to express it.”

Vladyslav Heraskevych’s father Mykhailo.

Odd ANDERSEN / AFP via Getty

After the decision, Heraskevych’s father, who also serves as his coach, was seen breaking down over the news. The racer also posted a simple statement on X reacting to his disqualification.

“This is [the] price of our dignity,” he wrote in Ukrainian and English.

Heraskevych had said earlier this week that he wants the IOC to recognize that several of the people depicted on his helmet are former Olympians. “We have members of Olympic family, part of Olympic movement, and they don’t even want to honor them,” he said.

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Russia is currently banned from participating in the Olympics due to their ongoing war against Ukraine. Russian athletes wanting to compete can, but under the flag of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC), rather than Russia’s flag. They also cannot have openly supported Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Just 13 Russian athletes were approved by the IOC for the 2026 Winter Olympics.

To learn more about all the Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls, come to people.com to check out ongoing coverage before, during and after the games. Watch the Milan Cortina Olympics and Paralympics, beginning Feb. 6, on NBC and Peacock.