Biathlon: Ukraine rallies behind its athlete excluded from the skeleton event for a gesture deemed political by the IOC
This is the controversy that is causing such a stir at the Milan/Cortina 2026 Olympic Games and uniting the scattered venues. On Thursday 12 February, Vladislav Heraskevych was disqualified from the skeleton event before even competing. The Ukrainian wanted to take part wearing a helmet honouring several team-mates killed in the war against Russia. A gesture deemed political, and therefore contrary to the neutrality defended by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
A different interpretation of the Olympic Charter
“Taken by the jury of the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF), the decision is based on the fact that the helmet does not comply with the rules”, explained the IOC in a statement published this morning. His accreditation was also withdrawn: “The fundamental issue in this case is not the content of the message, but the place where the athlete wished to express it. Vladislav Heraskevych was able to wear his helmet at all training sessions. The IOC also gave him the opportunity to display it immediately after the competition, when he passed through the mixed zone.
Its president, Kirsty Coventry, even came to meet the athlete to try and change his position, reminding him of the possibility of wearing a black armband. But to no avail.
Minutes after the decision was announced, the Ukrainian Biathlon Federation was quick to react. In a video, its president Ivan Krulko read out a statement of support for his compatriot: “We are convinced that honouring the memory of the dead is not political propaganda, but a fundamental humanitarian and moral gesture. The memory of Ukraine’s fallen athletes, coaches, civilians and defenders cannot be considered a political demonstration.
“The right to memory is a fundamental right”, defends the Ukrainian Biathlon Federation
The leader proposes a different interpretation to that of the IOC and the IBSF: “The Olympic movement has always affirmed its attachment to the values of human dignity, respect, solidarity and peace. The ban on commemorative events in honour of the victims of war contradicts these values and sets a dangerous precedent, substituting a façade of neutrality for humanity. The Ukrainian Biathlon Federation considers it unacceptable to equate political agitation with the commemoration of human lives lost during aggression. [ The right to memory is a fundamental right”.
As expected, the Ukrainian Biathlon Federation called on the governing body to reconsider its position. A pious hope, given that skeleton only has one event… which started without Vladislav Heraskevych.
It should be noted that Russia’s current war is directly linked to the Olympic Games. The Donbass and Crimea were invaded four days after the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi (Russia). The current conflict also began four days after the 2022 Games in Beijing (China). It is in reaction to this aggression that no Russian biathlete will be present in Antholz (Italy) in 2026.
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