Vladyslav Heraskevych wanted to wear a memorial helmet with portraits of Ukrainian athletes killed by Russia in the race and refused to consider wearing a black armband instead as a compromise offered to him by the IOC.Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

Olympic chiefs ban Ukrainian racer who wanted to wear helmet honoring war dead  – POLITICO

by · POLITICO

Ukrainian skeleton pilot Vladyslav Heraskevych will not be performing at the Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina after he refused to comply with the rules on athletes’ self-expression, the International Olympic Committee announced Thursday.

Heraskevych wanted to wear a memorial helmet with portraits of Ukrainian athletes killed by Russia in his race Thursday and refused to consider wearing a black armband instead as a compromise offered to him by the IOC. So the committee decided to withdraw his accreditation from the Games.

“Despite multiple exchanges and in-person meetings between the IOC and Mr Heraskevych, the last one this morning with IOC President Kirsty Coventry, he did not consider any form of compromise,” the IOC said in a statement Thursday.