Ukrainian skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych has accused the International Olympic Committee (IOC) of “betrayal” after it banned him from wearing a helmet featuring pictures of athletes and friends killed throughout the ongoing Russian invasion in Ukraine.
Ukraine appealed the ban on the grounds that Heraskevych ought to be permitted to wear a commemorative helmet depicting weightlifter Alina Peregudova, boxer Pavlo Ishchenko and hockey player Oleksiy Loginov.
The IOC rejected the appeal, citing a violation of its rules on political expression.
Rule 50.2 of the Olympic Charter states: “No type of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas.”
IOC spokesperson Mark Adams said the governing body would allow Heraskevych to wear a black armband while competing.
“There was a casual meeting last night with Mr. Heraskevych, his coach and the delegation, and we reiterated our understanding of the athlete’s want to pay tribute to his fellow Ukrainian athletes, which he’s done during training and on social media,” Adams said during a press conference.
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“After the meeting, we even have reiterated that we are going to make an exception to the rules to permit him to wear a black armband during competition to make that commemoration.”
This isn’t the primary time Heraskevych has made an announcement on the sporting world’s most prestigious stage.
While competing on the 2022 Beijing Olympics, he held up an indication reading, “No War in Ukraine.”
In an Instagram post on Tuesday, following the helmet ban, he shared a photograph from that moment, writing, “Unfortunately, over these years this call for peace has only turn out to be much more relevant.”
“Also over these 4 years, the IOC has modified dramatically. Back then, in that motion, they saw a call for peace and didn’t apply any sanctions against me.”
“Now, on the Olympics, we now have already seen a lot of Russian flags within the stands, on the helmet of one among the athletes — and for the IOC, this isn’t a violation.”
He said the helmet “pays tribute to members of the Ukrainian sports family who’ve been killed because the last Olympic Games were held.”
“The reality is on our side. I hope for a good final decision from the IOC,” he concluded.
In a separate video, he criticized the IOC for inconsistent enforcement of its rules against Ukrainians and for “betraying” the athletes pictured on his helmet by not allowing them to be honoured.
He referenced other incidents throughout Olympic history when athletes were allowed to honour the death of family members without punishment, including German weightlifter Matthias Steiner, who, on the rostrum after winning gold on the 2008 Beijing Olympics, held a photograph of his late wife, who had died in a automobile accident greater than a yr prior.
“Despite precedents in modern times and up to now when the IOC allowed such tributes, this time they decided to set special rules only for Ukraine,” Heraskevych wrote.
— With files from Global News’ Adriana Fallico
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