A helmet bearing a tribute, a strict Olympic rule and a geopolitical backdrop have converged into a controversy that extends beyond sport. Vladyslav Heraskevych, Ukrainian skeleton athlete and flag bearer for his country at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, has been prohibited by the International Olympic Committee from wearing a commemorative helmet during competition.
Fresh off a fourth-place finish at the 2025 World Championships, Heraskevych had worn the helmet during training sessions on the Olympic track. The design featured grey-toned images of Ukrainian athletes and members of the sporting community killed during Russia’s invasion, including figure skater Dmytro Sharpar, 19-year-old biathlete Yevhen Malyshev and boxer Pavlo Ishchenko.
The IOC cited Rule 50 of the Olympic Charter, which bans political, religious or racial messages at Olympic venues. According to the Committee, the helmet fell under this prohibition. Heraskevych strongly disputes this interpretation, describing the decision as painful and insisting that the tribute carries no political message, but is an act of remembrance for athletes who will never compete again.
The IOC clarified that no formal request for approval had initially been submitted and that the issue arose only after the helmet was used during official training. The athlete had hoped for a more flexible reading of the rule, recalling that during the Beijing 2022 Games he was allowed to display the message “No War in Ukraine.”
The dispute quickly moved beyond the sporting arena, drawing public support from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Zelensky defended his country’s flag bearer, arguing that commemorating fallen athletes is not inappropriate but reflects the human cost of the war and aligns with the Olympic spirit of peace.
In an effort to ease tensions, the IOC has offered a compromise: Heraskevych will be allowed to wear a black armband during competition. “This is an exception granted for commemorative reasons,” said IOC spokesperson Mark Adams, while reiterating that the rules apply equally to all delegations.