Memorial helmet at the Olympics: IOC bans Heraskevich from honouring deceased athletes
Ukrainian skeleton racer and flag bearer for the Ukrainian national team Vladyslav Heraskevych appeared at the official training session for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy wearing a helmet decorated with photographs of Ukrainian athletes who died as a result of Russia's full-scale invasion. This was reported by international agencies.
The athlete himself noted that for him this is a way to honour the memory of people, some of whom were his personal friends. Among them, he named figure skater Dmytro Sharpar, who died in the fighting near Bakhmut at the age of 25, and 19-year-old biathlete Yevhen Malyshev, who died in 2022 near Kharkiv. During the training session, Heraskevych showed the third result in his second attempt with a time of 56.58 seconds, and his first start at the Games is scheduled for 12 February.
However, on the same day, the athlete announced that the International Olympic Committee had banned him from competing in this helmet. According to Geraskevich, the ban was announced by the IOC representative responsible for communication with athletes. The skeleton racer emphasised that this decision contrasts with the IOC's lack of reaction to the appearance of the Russian flag on the helmet of an Italian snowboarder, which also violates the rules.
Heraskevich called the decision painful and one that deprives athletes of the opportunity to honour the memory of those who will never be able to compete in the Olympic arena again. He recalled the precedent of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, when German weightlifter Matthias Steiner celebrated his gold medal with a photo of his deceased wife, considered one of the most emotional moments in the history of the Games.
On 10 February, the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine officially appealed to the IOC to allow Heraskevych to compete wearing the so-called helmet of remembrance. The NOC noted that the helmet meets safety requirements and rules, does not contain advertising, political slogans or discriminatory elements, and was approved during training. The committee expressed its hope for an objective and impartial decision.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy publicly spoke out in support of the athlete. He thanked Heraskevych for reminding the world of the price of Ukraine's struggle and stressed that the truth about the war cannot be considered inappropriate or a political act. According to the president, this is in line with the essence of the Olympic movement, which should serve peace and protect life.
