Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych was disqualified from the 2026 Olympic Games on Feb. 12 for using a custom helmet honoring Ukrainian athletes killed during Russia’s full-scale war.
The decision came days after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) barred Heraskevych from competing in a helmet depicting fallen Ukrainian athletes. Despite the ban, he continued training in the helmet.
The IOC has also prohibited two other Ukrainian athletes from using custom helmets at the Games.
Ukrainian freestyle skier Kateryna Kotsar said her helmet was disqualified due to the inscription “Be brave like Ukrainians,” while short track speed skater Oleh Handei was barred from wearing a helmet featuring a line of Ukrainian poetry.
Hundreds of Ukrainian athletes and coaches have been killed since the start of Russia’s all-out war, while Russian missile and drone attacks have also destroyed hundreds of sports facilities across the country.
While the Russian and Belarusian national teams are banned from the Olympic Games, athletes from both countries are allowed to compete in individual events under a “neutral” status. Still, many Russian athletes who compete as “neutral” participants in international competitions have ties to the Kremlin or have expressed support for the war against Ukraine.
44 Comments
Follow the money to find the culprit … America is not on the right side of history. Slava Ukraini ✌🏻 thanks 🙏🏻 for your bravery and protecting Europe 🌍 … Brave Ukrainian heroes … Gone but not forgotten. 🙏🏻
I mean f the Olympics. F any Americans who participate in the Olympics and f any Americans who follow/support the Olympics. And frankly f any country that's hosting the Olympics. But that's just me. There's obviously a lot of people who either support that garbage, or have no moral lines of integrity. "It's just a sport" yeah f you and the Olympics
IOC, this isn't about sports. It is about money and corruption.
Follow the money.
That and other past issues is why i dont care about the olympics anymore! 😡
Poetry is banned by Olympics officials?
How the hell can an athlete be neutral and represent a country at the same time ?
Agree 100% with your content. The IOC and UN claim to be World organizations to benefit humanity, your analysis provodes another example where they fall short of their stated goals.
They have made the Olympics a big joke
If the IOC cared, it would have moved the Olympics out of Moscow in 1980.
In this case, the difference is that those Russian athletes weren't putting anything on their uniforms that referenced the war in any way. Their personal opinions are their own business as long as they keep them out of the events.
It's the correct decision. I'm sorry but it is. Slava Ukraini
IOC are a disgusting group of corrupt slimeballs.
Have you noticed most of the stories on the Internet are sad. Thank you for your video and your efforts.
Olympia is just as corrupt as Fifa…
I Will always be your fan Kyiv Independent.
This is totally disgraceful. The IOC should be made to visit Bucha.
Shameful Olympic commitee, flying in the face of reason, justice , and evidence.
Disgusting
Shame on the IOC for their ridiculous pettiness …. NO ruskies or belaruskies should have been allowed to participate in these games .
That’s globalism, The New World Order!
Putin must still have some “influence” over the Olympic committee.
Boohoo
Evidently the Russians are very good at bribing the IOC.
The IOC is extremely corrupt, like trump level or worse corrupt
Russian should have been banned from all Olympic games this winter. It's absolutely sickening that this athelete should be banned from his event.
This is a noble job . He now shines forever like the sun. He is the winner! He is the pioneer of a great cause! He etches the trail that will keep blazing for years to come!
Slava Ukraine! 🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦
Heroes are always sung and their glories are praised! 🙏🙏🙏
This has been a rule for all of time. Olympics would let the US or any country put war imagery on a helmet. Or even worse the deceased
The most corrupt country in Europe is crying that athletes were allowed to compete because they like a social media post? Yeah you deserve Russia then
IOC should be banned and heraskevyich is a Hero
Neutral status is absurd. Total hypocrasy by the IOC
This is appalling to me as an American!
Apparently the IOC is pro Russian!
I disagree, as a conservative republican, I don’t want our athletes using the Olympics to push their politics, even when I agree with them. It harms the Olympics and it takes away from the core purpose of the games! Find the appropriate platform to voice your opinions or your passions!
The last time the IOC was on the right side of politics – not sure when that was. Line all of the big sporting bodies, controversy is the order of the day, and money the lubricant that it all takes. Sponsors, donors, you name it, all hold sway and the days of impartially are gone, probably for good.
The IOC deserves about the same amount of respect as FIFA
It’s time to stop this nonsensical war, and make peace.
IOC and FIFA are both utterly corrupt
I’m sorry and embarrassed
Not on the side of history is an understatement. This is a grave injustice
EXACTLY
How about the Russians in team sports that don't Even live in Russia anymore not being allowed to participate?
What about the fact that there is peace deals on the table and Ukrainian "leader" is dragging his feet while collecting billions.
People are through this bull shit now. You can call it whatever you want, but it's hypocrisy at its finest. No matter what the left wing news machine trys to brain wash you into thinking.
What's washing?? Just listen to what people like this paid shrill call the Ukraine war every time. They have to repeat the naritives name as much as possible so you just eventually don't even question it anymore. (Another example of this watch what dip shits on CNN call the 2020 election every time it's mentioned.."the 2020 election where there was no evidence of voter fraud and it's is the big lie"….same as Ukraine "full scale unprovoked Russian invasion" ).
I'm just depressed people still believe this shit.
"They are not on the right side of history". Yeah. According to you. Opinions are like ass holes.
I couldn't help but notice,you said nothing about a country that is carrying out a genocide being allowed to participate 🤔🤔🤔🤔
Speaking and standing up for Justice is what gives us Enlightened Consciousness
I can see how the rules can be applicable as falling under 'political' so its not super incomprehensibly upsetting to me… but its dismaying nonetheless because it is manufactured 'politicalness' by a nation banned to begin with… One could also choose to see all these banned inscriptions in their non-political form if you had the decency. You could just see the helmet as the 'honoring of dead athletes', just as that. The poem of "Where there is heroism, there is no final defeat" as just a poem about courage & honor. Both of these are just important messages to the people of the nation these athletes represent in their trying times, they are national pride. In neither of these any particular group is being called out, targeted, or denigrate… they are only uplifting one's own nation. If any other country had any of these inscriptions it would be fine… but because Ukraine is being invaded by the ones banned from the Olympics it has become political. By the same sentiment you could ban the Ukrainian flag or national anthem. They serve the exact same purpose.
The man should be defending his country not making a spectacle hopefully he’s rifled up and headed to the front