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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport

Heraskevych ban reflects badly on the International Olympic Committee

The Ukraine skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych poses with his ‘helmet of memory’ in Milan on 13 February 2026.
The Ukraine skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych poses with his ‘helmet of memory’ in Milan on 13 February 2026. Photograph: Piero Cruciatti/AFP/Getty Images

Lizzy Yarnold says the ban on the Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych centres on this rule in the Olympic charter: “No kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas” (Olympic chiefs have got it badly wrong over Heraskevych ban and owe him an apology, 13 February).

However, I’m not sure how the International Olympic Committee can say Heraskevych is presenting “political propaganda” when he simply has the images of deceased athletes on his helmet – there was no statement nor overt symbolism that is anti-Russia, and no mention of the war or nationalism etc.

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