Ukrainian Olympian Is Disqualified Over Helmet With Images of War Dead

Olympic officials had told Vladyslav Heraskevych that the helmet, featuring images of Ukrainian athletes killed in the war with Russia, violated the Games’ ban on political speech.Ukraine’s Vladyslav Heraskevych was disqualified for wearing a helmet to commemorate athletes who were killed in the war with Russia.Credit...Richard Heathcote/Getty ImagesFeb. 12, 2026Updated 4:55 a.m. ETA Ukrainian athlete at the Winter Games in Italy was barred from competing on Thursday because he had planned to wear a helmet commemorating countrymen killed in the war with Russia.Olympic officials had told the athlete, Vladyslav Heraskevych, that the helmet violated the Games’ prohibition on political speech. Mr. Heraskevych, who competes in skeleton, a sledding event on an ice track, had said this week that he planned to race with the helmet anyway.On Thursday morning, the day the skeleton competition was to begin, the jury of the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation ruled that he would be barred because “the helmet he intended to wear was not compliant with the rules.”The president of the International Olympic Committee, Kirsty Coventry, met with Mr. Heraskevych at the competition venue in Cortina d’Ampezzo. After the meeting, the I.O.C. said in a statement that Mr. Heraskevych “did not consider any form of compromise.”The committee “has therefore decided with regret to withdraw his accreditation” for the Games, it said.The dispute involving Mr. Heraskevych has become one of the first major controversies at the Games, where politics often intrude despite Olympic rules prohibiting political statements during competition or at medal ceremonies.ImageMr. Heraskevych said that he did not think he had violated the International Olympic Committee’s rules. Credit...Fatima Shbair/Associated PressMr. Heraskevych, 27, has said that his “remembrance helmet” depicted people who were killed during Russia’s war with Ukraine, some of them athletes, including friends of his. Olympic officials said this week that Mr. Heraskevych had the option of wearing a black armband to memorialize the dead if he wanted.“The Games need to be separated from all types of interference so that all athletes can concentrate on their performances,” Mark Adams, an I.O.C. spokesman, told journalists at a news conference before the competition.Before the competition, Mr. Heraskevych wrote on social media: “I am convinced that we did not violate any I.O.C. rules, and therefore we have every right to wear this helmet.”Mr. Heraskevych, who had not been considered a medal contender in the event, said in a statement Thursday morning before his disqualification that he was asking the I.O.C. to apologize and to donate money to provide power generators for Ukrainian sports facilities affected by the invasion.Ukrainian officials and other athletes have expressed support for Mr. Heraskevych. On Tuesday, Olena Smaha, a Ukrainian who competes in luge, wore a message on her glove during her competition that said: “Remembrance is not a violation.”Victor Mather, who has been a reporter and editor at The Times for 25 years, covers sports and breaking news.SKIP Site IndexNewsHome PageU.S.WorldPoliticsNew YorkEducationSportsBusinessTechScienceWeatherThe Great ReadObituariesHeadwayVisual InvestigationsThe MagazineArtsBook ReviewBest Sellers Book ListDanceMoviesMusicPop CultureTelevisionTheaterVisual ArtsLifestyleHealthWellFoodRestaurant ReviewsLoveTravelStyleFashionReal EstateT MagazineOpinionToday's OpinionColumnistsEditorialsGuest EssaysOp-DocsLettersSunday OpinionOpinion VideoOpinion AudioMoreAudioGamesCookingWirecutterThe AthleticJobsVideoGraphicsTrendingLive EventsCorrectionsReader CenterTimesMachineThe Learning NetworkSchool of The NYTinEducationAccountSubscribeManage My AccountHome DeliveryGift SubscriptionsGroup SubscriptionsGift ArticlesEmail NewslettersNYT LicensingReplica EditionTimes Store