Ukrainian skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych believes the decision to disqualify him from the Winter Olympics was a victory for Russian propaganda.
Heraskevych was ruled out of the event by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) just over an hour before competition began. His helmet, which features pictures of people killed in the war with Russia, was judged to have contravened rules concerning statements in the field of play.
Despite in-person discussions between Heraskevych and IOC president Kirsty Coventry at the Cortina Sliding Centre in Italy before the start on Thursday morning, an agreement could not be reached. Coventry was reportedly tearful as she exited the meeting.
Heraskevych said: “Yesterday we had a formal meeting and today we had [one] just before the race with Mrs Coventry here at the venue – me, my dad, and Mrs Coventry.
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“In Ukraine now, we also have a lot of tears and I don’t want to downsize her feelings, but I believe that we should be controlled by the rules and I believe that we didn’t violate it.
“I want to also thank her for kind words, what she told me in this meeting. But as I told her, this situation again plays along with Russian propaganda and it does not look good.
“I believe I did a great proposal for them this morning, when I proposed to allow me to use this helmet and also to show solidarity with Ukraine, and give some generators for Ukraine.
“I believe it’s a great way to show that you have solidarity with Ukraine and to remove all this scandal.
“Because also, from another point of view, this situation is very terrible for this venue and for this race. I believe because of IOC actions, that Olympic moment was stolen not only for me, but also from others from this venue.
“Because of this scandal, now all you (the media) are here. You’re not watching the race and I believe it’s a terrible mistake made by the IOC.”
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Thursday criticised the IOC’s decision to disqualify Heraskevych, saying it contradicted the spirit of the Games.
“Sport shouldn’t mean amnesia and the Olympic movement should help stop wars, not play into the hands of aggressors,” he wrote on X.
“Unfortunately, the decision of the International Olympic Committee to disqualify Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych says otherwise,” Zelenskiy said, adding the athlete’s helmet bearing images of Ukrainian athletes killed in the war was a reminder of Russian aggression. “No rule has been broken.”
IOC spokesman Mark Adams said on Wednesday the organisation was “begging” Heraskevych to reconsider his position, with a compromise of a black armband suggested, but the slider remains convinced the rules have been misinterpreted.
He said: “I believe it’s totally wrong to do this decision today. Especially when we had already on these Olympic Games other cases, when others in almost equal situations were treated differently and didn’t face any sanctions.
“Rule 50 has to do nothing with this helmet and despite that we were suspended. So I have really bad thoughts and I believe that this situation also plays along with Russian propaganda.
“I saw that this news was treated very well in Russia.”
Coventry described an “emotional morning” but stressed the IOC’s decision was not a political one and cited the wishes of the IOC Athletes’ Commission in refusing to make an exception for Heraskevych.
Coventry said: “We’re not making a judgment on whether the message is political or not political, or has a statement or doesn’t make a statement. It’s any messaging, any form of messaging.
“That’s how the athletes back in 2020, 2021, came up with saying we should not allow any messaging on the field of play, on the podium and in the Olympic village.
“But they wanted other space – the mixed zone, talking to the press, press conferences, as soon as you come off the field of play, that’s there, he can do that. It’s just the field of play.”
Britain’s Matt Weston leads the competition after the first two runs and he expressed his regret that Heraskevych was unable to compete.
He said: “On a personal level, I’m really, really sad that he’s missed out on being able to compete. I think that’s gutting for anyone.
“He’s been sliding really, really well in training and I think he was going to put down some good results. In terms of the political side of things, I don’t really want to comment.
“I don’t really feel like I know enough information to comment. Not that I would anyway but it’s more, for me, that situation is more personal and I’m sad he didn’t get to race.
“I chat to him all the time and he’s kind of a big personality within the circuit. We travel around week in, week out with the same people so you get to know everyone pretty well.”
It was later announced that Heraskevych’s accreditation would not be withdrawn after Coventry intervened, which means he can continue to be at the Games despite not being able to compete.
