Ukrainian skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych has been stripped of accreditation and removed from competition at the Winter Olympics after a disciplinary ruling by the International Olympic Committee.
According to Idman.Biz, the decision followed the athlete’s use of a helmet featuring images of sportspeople killed during wartime. The IOC had previously warned that such symbolism breached Rule 50 of the Olympic Charter, which restricts political demonstrations and propaganda at the Games.
Heraskevych wore the helmet during training runs and received an official warning from Olympic officials. However, he continued to appear in the same equipment, prompting further action from the governing body.
As a result, the IOC revoked his accreditation and disqualified him from participation in the 2026 Winter Olympics, underlining the organisation’s strict stance on political messaging within Olympic venues.
