Vladyslav Heraskevych

Vladyslav Heraskevych is a Ukrainian skeleton racer. He is currently newsworthy due to his disqualification from the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) banned him for wearing a helmet that depicted Ukrainian athletes killed in the war with Russia, citing a violation of the Games' ban on political expression. Heraskevych appealed the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), but his appeal was dismissed. He argues the Olympics are acting as propaganda for Russia, especially with the allowance of some Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under their national flags. The ban has drawn condemnation from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who stated that no rules were broken. The incident highlights the ongoing tensions and complexities surrounding the participation of athletes from countries involved in conflict and the limits on athlete expression at the Olympic Games.