Ukraine racer defies IOC ban by wearing ‘helmet of memory’ as anger grows

Ukraine's Vladyslav Heraskevych, pictured after a training run, wearing his helmet which has images of compatriots who have died during the Russian invasion of his country. Photograph: Alessandra Tarantino/AP

Ukrainian athletes have stepped up their defiance of International Olympic Committee rules banning them from protesting against the Russian invasion while in competition, amid growing anger over a decision to ban a “helmet of memory” for the ­country’s war dead.

On Tuesday evening the ­skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych revealed that he had continued to use the helmet, which shows athletes killed during the war, during his practice runs in Italy in defiance of the IOC.

Earlier the luge athlete Olena Smaha also displayed the words “remembrance is not a violation” on her glove while finishing 20th. The Ukrainian team have appealed against the helmet ban, arguing that it is not in breach of Article 50 of the Olympic Charter which ­prohibits political statements while in competition.

After finishing second in his ­training run, Heraskevych said that he planned to continue to use his banned helmet in competition. “I used it in all trainings. I used it today, I will use it tomorrow, and I will use it on race day,” he said. “I truly believe that we didn’t violate any law and any rules.”

The images on the helmet include those of the weightlifter Alina Peregudova, the strongman Pavlo Ishchenko and the ice hockey player Oleksiy Loginov, who were all killed.

Heraskevych, who has the support of the Ukraine president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has also accused the IOC of betraying those dead Ukrainian athletes. “A decision that simply breaks my heart,” he said on ­Instagram. “The feeling that the IOC is ­betraying those athletes who were part of the Olympic movement, not allowing them to be honoured on the sports arena where these athletes will never be able to step again.”

Earlier the IOC spokesperson Mark Adams said that, while the helmet was banned, the committee would make an exception to allow ­Heraskevych to wear a black armband during competition.

“There was an informal meeting last night with Mr Heraskevych, his coach and the delegation, and we ­reiterated our understanding of the athlete’s wish to pay tribute to his ­fellow Ukrainian athletes, which he’s done during training and on social media,” Adams said.

“What we’ve tried to do is to address his desires with ­compassion and under­standing. We will not stop him expressing himself in press conferences, in the mixed zone and elsewhere. And we feel that this is a good compromise.”