sports
February 13, 2026
Olympic chiefs have got it badly wrong over Heraskevych ban and owe him an apology
As athletes we try to focus on our event and the task at hand, but our lives do not take place in a vacuum
TL;DR
- Skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych was banned from the Winter Olympics by the IOC for his helmet depicting Ukrainian war victims.
- Heraskevych's helmet was described as a human display of remembrance, causing emotional distress.
- The IOC later reinstated Heraskevych's accreditation, allowing him to stay at the Games, but the initial ban caused damage.
- The IOC's decision is seen as inconsistent, with other athletes making similar or political displays without consequences.
- Heraskevych argued his helmet design was about remembrance, not political propaganda, a key point in his appeal.
- The author believes the IOC made an incorrect decision and owes Heraskevych an apology.
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