Is Heraskevych’s Olympic ‘helmet of remembrance’ political?

Who is Vladyslav Heraskevych?

In Pyeongchang in 2018, the Kyiv native became the first Ukrainian to compete in skeleton at the Winter Olympics. Heraskevych also competed in Beijing in 2022. After the third of four runs there, he held up a sign with the English inscription “No war in Ukraine” for the cameras at the finish line of the run. Thirteen days later, Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Since then, Heraskevych has tirelessly used his sport to draw attention to the suffering of the people in Ukraine and to urge further strict sanctions against Russian sports. The skeleton racer was given the honor of being one of Ukraine’s flag bearers for the Milano Cortina Games’ opening ceremonies.

Heraskevych, however, is not among the likely medal contenders at the Olympics. He finished 12th in 2018 and 18th in 2022.

What is his dispute with the IOC about?

Heraskevych wants to wear his “helmet of remembrance” not only in training but also during the Olympic race in Cortina. It features images of Ukrainian athletes who were killed during Russia’s war on Ukraine.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) considers the helmet a violation of Rule 50 of the Olympic Charter, which states: “No kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas.”

In 2020, the IOC Athletes’ Commission published guidelines on how to implement this rule. According to these guidelines, athletes should only be allowed to express political views during the Olympic Games at press conferences, in interviews in the mixed zones, at team meetings, on internet platforms or through media outlets.

IOC spokesman Mark Adams told a press conference this week: “There are 130 conflicts going on in the world. We cannot have 130 different conflicts featured, however terrible they are, during the field of play, during the actual competition.”

Therefore, Heraskevych is allowed to express his political views outside of competition, but not during the race.

Could a compromise be reached?

There is no current indication that this is possible. The IOC offered the Ukrainian the option of wearing a black armband during the competition — as a sign of mourning for his compatriots killed in the war.

“We feel this is a good compromise,” Adams said.

Heraskevych sees things completely differently.

“The IOC has turned the ‘helmet of remembrance’ into an absurd farce,” the Ukrainian said on Wednesday. He insisted that he was not violating any IOC rule and accused the IOC of “double standards.”

United States figure skater Maxim Naumov displayed a picture of his parents, who died in a plane crash, after his short program on Tuesday evening in Milan, without any objections being raised. Heraskevych has previously pointed to the example of German weightlifter Matthias Steiner, who held up a photo of his deceased wife after his Olympic victory in Beijing in 2008.

According to the IOC, the cases are not comparable. The rules have evolved since 2008. Naumov’s behavior was “a very emotional, very human, spontaneous gesture,” according to IOC spokesman Adams: “In a sense it highlights what we are saying, this Ukrainian athlete, he can do the same.”

What happens if Heraskevych defies the IOC ban?

The IOC Athletes’ Commission’s recommendation regarding violations of Rule 50 of the Olympic Charter states: “If an athlete or participant is in breach of Rule 50 and the Olympic Charter, each incident will be evaluated by their respective National Olympic Committee, International Federation [of the sport] and the IOC, and disciplinary action will be taken on a case-by-case basis as necessary.”

This leaves room for interpretation. In the worst-case scenario, Heraskevych could face immediate exclusion from the Olympic Games.

What have the reactions been?

Heraskevych has received support from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. On X, he thanked the skeleton racer “for reminding the world of the price of our struggle.”

Thomas Weikert, president of the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB), expressed understanding for Heraskevych’s action but advised him not to disregard the IOC ban and to abide by the rules.

Three time Olympic luge gold medalist Felix Loch, a close personal friend of Heraskevych, said if he were to be disqualified, it would be “sad and a bit of a scandal.” After all, there is “no text or anything like that” on the helmet in question, he noted.

This article was originally published in German.