Ryan Smart
The IOC have disqualified a Ukrainian athlete from the Winter Olympics after he was deemed to have breached their regulations over a planned war tribute helmet.
Vladylsav Heraskevych was due to compete in the men's skeleton final, which takes place across Thursday and Friday in Cortina.
Heraskevych was the only Ukrainian athlete to qualify for the event, and is one of 46 athletes from his nation at the Games.
During a training session, the 27-year-old wore a helmet that commemorated some of the victims of Russia's war on Ukraine, which began in February 2022, including several athletes.
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He had planned to keep wearing the helmet during the skeleton competition, but took to Instagram on Monday to announce that the IOC had banned it from being displayed.
Heraskevych claimed that the Olympic governing body was 'betraying those athletes who were part of the Olympic movement' by 'not allowing them to be honoured on the sports arena where these athletes will never be able to step again'.
The IOC said that the helmet broke Rule 50.2 of their Olympic Charter, which states that 'no kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas'.
IOC spokesperson Mark Adams confirmed that Heraskevych would be permitted to wear a black armband, something which they described as a 'compromise'.
However, the Ukrainian athlete signalled his intention to still wear the helmet during competition despite the IOC's stance, stating on Instagram: "The IOC has turned the situation with the 'memory helmet' into a theatre of the absurd.
"It's obvious that it does not violate any IOC rules."
The IOC have now formally disqualified Heraskevych from competing at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
In a statement, they noted that the Ukrainian athlete's 'refusal to comply with the IOC's Guidelines on Athlete Expression' was the reason for the decision, which was taken by the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF).
"Having been given one final opportunity, skeleton pilot Vladylsav Heraskevych from Ukraine will not be able to start his race at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games this morning," the statement reads.
"The decision followed his refusal to comply with the IOC's Guidelines on Athlete Expression.
"It was taken by the jury of the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF) based on the fact that the helmet he intended to wear was not compliant with the rules."
"The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has therefore decided with regret to withdraw his accreditation for the Milano Cortina 2026 Games.
"Despite multiple exchanges and in-person meetings between the IOC and Mr Heraskevych, the last one this morning with IOC President Kirsty Coventry, he did not consider any form of compromise."