International Olympic Committee (IOC) has ruled that a Ukrainian skeleton racer may wear a black armband at the Winter Olympics but cannot compete with a helmet displaying images of Ukrainian athletes killed in the war with Russia.
IOC spokesperson Mark Adams said the helmet breached Olympic rules banning political symbols during competition, under Article 50 of the Olympic Charter.
However, the IOC said it would allow the athlete, Vladyslav Heraskevych, to wear a black armband as a form of remembrance.
“We have tried to address his request with compassion and understanding,” Adams said, calling the decision a compromise.
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Athletes are still allowed to express views outside competition, including during press conferences and on social media, the IOC added.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had earlier defended Heraskevych’s right to wear the helmet, saying it honoured sportsmen and women killed since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Heraskevych, a flag bearer for Ukraine at the opening ceremony, said the ban on his helmet “breaks my heart”.
Ukraine’s Sports Minister, Matviy Bidnyi, says more than 650 Ukrainian athletes and coaches have been killed since the war began.
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