Ukraine's Vladyslav Heraskevych was barred from competing in the Milan/Cortina Olympics over a dispute concerning a helmet he wanted to wear in the skeleton event to honour athletes killed in the war with Russia.

Ukraine's Vladyslav Heraskevych has been banned from competing in the Olympic skeleton event over a helmet dispute, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has said. Heraskevych wanted to wear a helmet commemorating Ukrainian athletes who died in the war with Russia in the competition which starts later Thursday.

The Ukrainian Olympic athlete Vladislav Heraskevych displays the memorial helmet that resulted in his ban.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he was "proud" of Vladylsav Heraskevych, adding, "Having courage is worth more than any medal."

A Ukrainian athlete has been disqualified from the Winter Olympics over his insistence on wearing a helmet honoring people killed in his country's war with Russia

As Ukrainian athletes prepare for the 2026 Winter Olympics, they will seek to boost the morale of their compatriots in Ukraine amid an ongoing war and a brutal winter.

IOC disqualifies Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych for helmet honoring war dead, sparking criticism from President Zelenskyy.

Ukrainian artist Iryna Prots, 52, who painted the helmet that led to skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych being barred from the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, says the tribute to over 20 athletes killed in Russia’s invasion had to be done.

The International Olympic Committee said that the helmet wouldn’t be allowed in competition, citing a rule against making political statements