Vladyslav Heraskevych has been banned from the Winter Olympics after defying the IOC’s rules in an effort to pay tribute to compatriots killed during the war with Russia.
The skeleton star will not join Team GB athletes Matt Weston and Marcus Wyatt on the ice as the men’s skeleton gets underway, with medal hopes high after a disappointing start for Great Britain overall in Milano-Cortina.
The men and women also go in the curling later on Thursday, hoping to generate momentum after Great Britain’s Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson were left devastated as they missed out on a Winter Olympics medal and the chance to end a three-decade wait for figure skating gold by emulating the legendary Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean.
Fear and Gibson, fresh from a fourth podium finish in as many years at the annual European Championships, came into the free dance final as major contenders and in position to challenge for the podium. But an error-strewn display saw them tumble down the rankings, as Team GB’s search for a first medal of the 2026 Games goes on.
Follow all the latest updates from Milano-Cortina 2026 in our live blog below:
Winter Olympics 2026
- Ukrainian disqualified over banned war tribute helmet and Team GB in skeleton action
- Team GB still in hunt for first medal of the 2026 Winter Olympics Games
- Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson devastated to miss out on ice dance medal
- GB in skeleton action early on with Weston and Wyatt
- Curling men and women feature in round robin on Day 6
- Winter Olympics Day 6 schedule – 9 gold medal events
China in lead at halfway point
10:35 , Flo CliffordChina’s Lin Qinwei leads at the halfway mark of this second heat, with a time of 56.33 in heat 2 and 1:53.22 overall.
Marcus Wyatt will go 18th of 24 athletes, and Weston last.
Team GB skeleton lose Cas appeal over banned helmets
10:26 , Flo CliffordThe main story of this skeleton event has been Vladyslav Heraskevych’s helmet of remembrance.
But earlier in the week Team GB’s helmets were in contention too, this time for technical reasons.
The sport’s governing body, the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF), banned the new helmet as it said it “did not comply with the IBSF skeleton rules based on its shape”.
The British Bobsleigh and Skeleton Association (BBSA) appealed the initial ruling, saying the helmet was designed with safety in mind, but that appeal has been quashed by Cas.
GB’s athletes are instead wearing the helmets they wore throughout this World Cup season.
What is skeleton and how does it work?
10:19 , Flo CliffordFlying face-first down an icy chute at speeds of up to 150km/h: skeleton certainly isn’t for the faint of heart.
The death-defying Olympic sport also happens to be Team GB’s most successful, with Britain having won at least one skeleton medal at every Olympic Games the sport has featured in, bar Beijing in 2022.
Skeleton originated over 100 years ago, when a few Swiss dare-devils started racing down icy mountain slopes on toboggans.
While the sport has evolved over the years, the basic premise has remained the same: get down the track as quickly as possible. And the stakes have only got higher as speeds have increased and technology has improved.
Explainer here:
Heat 2 underway
10:13 , Flo CliffordThe athletes are back on the track, competing in reverse order to how they finished in heat one.
Australian Nicholas Timmings sets off first, finishing in 57.57 - 1:55.83 total.
Heraskevych: 'Because of their sacrifice, we're able to be here today'
10:08 , Flo CliffordHeraskevych spoke to the BBC after his disqualification.
He said his feelings were of “emptiness”.
“Yesterday was amazing training. Before yesterday was also very good training. I could be among the medalists in this event, but suddenly, because of some interpretation of the rules which I'm not a agree with, I am not able to compete, while other athletes in the same situation were able to compete and they didn't face any sanctions.”
How do you feel about not being able to express yourself?
“Expression guidelines is, I believe, a very big wording. What do you consider as expression? Many others here in this arena have helmets with different paints, and I believe it's also kind of expression. Some athletes had the national symbols. It's also expression. But for some reasons, their helmets wasn't checked. They're allowed to compete. But me not.”
When it’s put to him that he could compete without the helmet, he says: “I believe they deserve to be here. Because of their sacrifice, we're able to be here today, and I want to honour them, and I want to honour their families.”
Ukrainian disqualified from Winter Olympics after wearing banned war tribute helmet
09:57 , Flo CliffordHere is the full story on Ukrainian Vladyslav Heraskevych, who has been disqualifed by the IOC and had his accreditation revoked over his insistence on wearing his ‘memory helmet’ in honour of his compatriots who have been killed.
Ukrainian disqualified from Winter Olympics over war tribute helmet
Second heat at 10.08
09:42 , Flo CliffordThe men race again this morning, with the second heat getting underway at 10.08am GMT.
This time the athletes will go in reverse order of the standings from heat 1, from slowest to quickest, meaning GB’s Weston will go last.
Former Olympian John Jackson: 'Remembrance is really important to all veterans'
09:28 , Flo CliffordBBC commentator and former Olympic bobsledder John Jackson as asked about the situation with Heraskevych.
He said: “For me, being military and now a veteran, remembrance is really important to all veterans.
“We have all lost friends and colleagues in conflict and we all know someone who isn’t here and paid the ultimate sacrifice.
“I support him in what he was trying to achieve. It is really important to remember those who have given their life for something that ultimately doesn’t need to happen.”
Weston leads after heat 1
09:23 , Flo CliffordAll 24 athletes competing today have gone, with the notable absence of Heraskevych, who is listed as ‘DSQ’ for disqualified on the official list of athletes.
The top five remains the same. Weston was first to go and set the time to beat... and no one managed to beat it. Teammate Marcus Wyatt is in seventh place, +0.31 behind the world champion.
1. Weston, Great Britain 56.21
2. Jungk, Germany +0.06
3. Badnis, Italy +0.16
4. Grotheer, Germany +0.18
5. Chen, China +0.22
Artist who decorated Heraskevych's helmet says 'the world is becoming more apathetic every day'
09:20 , Flo CliffordIrina Protz, a Kyiv-based artist Irina Protz who has known Heraskevych since he was a child, decorated his helmet.
She said: “The world is becoming more apathetic every day.
“That is why I took on this work to remind the world that we had athletes who could have been here.”
Only four athletes left
09:15 , Flo CliffordOnly four to go in this skeleton heat 1. Here’s how the leaderboard looks
1. Weston, Great Britain 56.21
2. Jungk, Germany +0.06
3. Badnis, Italy +0.16
4. Grotheer, Germany +0.18
5. Chen, China +0.22
Tight at the top!
Kirsty Coventry on Heraskevych
09:07 , Flo CliffordIOC president Kirsty Coventry had a meeting with Heraskevych this morning. She was in tears as she spoke to reporters afterwards. “It’s a message of memory and no one is disagreeing with that,” Coventry said. The IOC added that it made its decision “with regret.”
Weston remains in the lead
09:00 , Flo CliffordSo far Axel Jungk is the closest threat to Weston’s time, +0.06 in second place.
Norway’s Rasmus Vestergaard Johansen goes 0.61 slower than the Briton.
Lizzy Yarnold: IOC "owes Heraskevych an apology"
08:55 , Flo CliffordGreat Britain’s double Olympic gold medallist in skeleton, Lizzy Yarnold, was asked on BBC commentary about Heraskevych’s qualification.
She said: “It’s actually quite shocking. Lots of the sliding community have been in contact straight away. There is shock and confusion.
“Taking away his accreditation means he now needs to leave the Olympic Games. The reaction to something which was an act of memorial, incredibly emotionally important to him. I'm quite shocked. I think the IOC owe him an apology. I think this was the wrong decision. He was also a medal contender for the race. He's a phenomenal athlete.”
Keisinger drops down the ranks
08:50 , Flo CliffordGermany’s Felix Keisinger is neck and neck with Weston in the top half but again loses time in the second, finishing in provisional fifth, 0.23 seconds down.
He looks happy nonetheless, smiling and waving to the crowd.
Weston remains in the lead
08:46 , Flo CliffordChina’s Chen pushes Wyatt down to fourth, after a bit of a scare for the Brits - he was quicker than Weston in the top section, but evidently the reigning world champion is driving down the lower section the best so far, as Chen loses time in the second half and finishes +0.22 down on Weston.
Who is Vladyslav Heraskevych? The Ukrainian disqualified from the Winter Olympics over war tribute helmet
08:43 , Jack RathbornUkrainian racer Vladyslav Heraskevych has been disqualified from the Winter Olympics for wearing a banned helmet featuring images of athletes killed during the Russian war, after insisting he would not betray those who have lost their lives.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) reiterated the skeleton helmet contravenes rule 50 the Olympic Charter and made a last-gasp plea for him to take it off on Wednesday morning or rules “will be enforced.”
But the 27-year-old hit back and slammed the IOC for comparing the war to other conflicts around the world, as a major row erupted.
Who is Vladyslav Heraskevych? The Ukrainian disqualified from the Winter Olympics
Skeleton - men's individual leaderboard
08:41 , Jack Rathborn1. Weston, Great Britain 56.21
2. Jungk, Germany +0.06
3. Wyatt, Great Britain +0.31
4. Yin, China +0.35
5. Maier, Austria +0.68
Weston clinging to skeleton lead with Jungk closing in on Briton
08:40 , Jack RathbornJungk is next and he is narrowly outside Weston, with the Briton’s teammate Wyatt also a few tenths back.
A big hit from the German, which is ominous for Weston, given how close he got to his time. But for that wobble and he’d have led.
Maier, of Austria up next...
Matt Weston underway in skeleton at Milano-Cortina
08:31 , Jack RathbornMatt Weston goes in his first run, with high hopes in the skeleton here.
Particularly after Team GB’s start to these Games...
56.21! A good start, and a track record... That’s a statement from the Briton.
He’s gone quicker in training, too, a small error at the start and a shake of the head, but it’s a solid marker.
Yin from China goes next, 56.56 (+0.35), Weston still leads.
Day 6 (Thursday 12 February 2026) – 9 gold medal events
08:28 , Jack RathbornAlpine skiing
- 10.30am–12.50pm: Women's super-G 🏅
Cross-country skiing
- 12pm–1.55pm: Women's 10km interval start free 🏅
Curling
- 8.05am–11.05am: Women's round robin 1
- 1.05pm–4.05pm: Men's round robin 2
- 6.05pm–9.05pm: Women's round robin 2
Freestyle skiing
- 9am–9.45am: Men's moguls qualification second round
- 11.15am–12.35pm: Men's moguls final 🏅
Ice hockey
- 11.10am–1.40pm: Men's preliminary round
- 3.40pm–6.10pm: Men's preliminary round
- 8.10pm–10.40pm: Men's preliminary round (2 games)
Luge
- 5.30pm–6.55pm: Team relay 🏅
Short track speed skating
- 7.15pm-9.20pm: Women's 500m quarter-finals, semi-finals, finals 🏅 Men's 1000m quarter-finals, semi-finals, finals 🏅
Skeleton
- 3pm-5.40pm: Men's heats 1 and 2
Snowboarding
- 9am–10.30am: Men's snowboard cross qualification
- 12.45pm–2.25pm: Men's snowboard cross finals 🏅
- 6.30pm–8.20pm: Women's snowboard halfpipe final 🏅
Speed skating
- 3.30pm–5.15pm: Women's 5000m 🏅
Ukrainian disqualified from Winter Olympics after wearing banned war tribute helmet
08:28 , Jack RathbornThe International Olympic Committee (IOC) has disqualified Ukraine’s Vladyslav Heraskevych from competing in this afternoon’s skeleton heats after he followed up on his vow to wear a banned helmet in tribute to Ukrainian athletes who have died during the war with Russia.
Heraskevych, 27, said he would rather sacrifice his dream of a medal at the Winter Olympics than “betray” his fallen compatriots killed since Russia’s invasion four years ago. Heraskevych’s helmet features images of Ukrainian athletes killed during the war.
The IOC reiterated to Heraskevych and the Ukrainian delegation that his helmet violated rule 50.2 of the 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”.
Ukrainian disqualified from Winter Olympics over war tribute helmet
