Ukrainian athlete drops out of of Winter Olympics over banned helmet

Ukrainian skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych, a likely medal contender at the Milan Cortina Games, was not allowed to compete Thursday after refusing a last-minute plea from the International Olympic Committee to use a helmet other than the one that honors more than 20 of his country’s athletes and coaches killed in the war with Russia.

The decision came roughly 45 minutes before the start of the competition, ending a three-day saga where Heraskevych knew he was risking being pulled from the Games by wearing the helmet, which the IOC says breached rules against making statements on the field of play.

In Milan, IOC spokesman Mark Adams said the decision was “absolutely not about the message that he wanted to give. It’s simply the place. We wanted him before and after to express himself but for that one minute, that one minute of competition, we asked him not to make this expression.”

Adams insisted the rules also protected athletes in some countries from being pressured “to express views they may not necessarily agree with.”

He added: “That is the only reason. It’s not about the message, not at all about the message. It’s simply about the sanctity of the field of play.”

Heraskevych received written word Thursday from the International Bobsled and Skeleton Federation, which said his decision to wear the helmet was “inconsistent with the Olympic Charter and Guidelines on Athlete Expression.”

He wore the helmet in training, but the IOC asked — pleaded might be the better word — for him to wear a different helmet in races and offered concessions such as the right to wear a black armband or even the ability to display the helmet once he was off the ice.

IOC President Kirsty Coventry, who was slated to be in Cortina d’Ampezzo on Thursday to see Alpine skiing, went to the sliding center instead to meet Heraskevych.

She was waiting at the top of the track when he arrived around 8:15 a.m., and they met privately a few minutes later. After about 10 minutes, Coventry was unable to change Heraskevych’s mind.