Ukrainian Skeleton Racer Could Face Olympic Disqualification Over Helmet Honoring War Dead

[blue-wave]

Source: Kyiv Post

Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych has said he could be disqualified from the Winter Olympics after refusing to stop wearing a custom tribute helmet honoring athletes killed by Russia, which was banned by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

The 27-year-old said in a social media post on Monday that the decision to ban the helmet, which he wore during a training session in Cortina to draw attention to Russian aggression, “simply breaks my heart.”

He added that he would submit an official request to the IOC and continue seeking permission to wear it.

Despite the ban, Heraskevych returned to training the next day, completing two runs in the helmet.

Read more: https://www.kyivpost.com/post/69801

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So let me see here. A Ukrainian athlete is mourning and honoring his fellow athletes killed by an illegal invasion of his country. Done by a dictator whose hybrid totalitarian regime has publicly propagandized the genocide of the athlete's people, culture and country. Hmmm, tough decision.

The IOC has lost any semblance of moral relevancy if they disqualify this guy. I simply cannot view this situation any differently. Maybe it's time for a corruption investigation into the IOC's business dealings.

[kurtyboy]

1. Courage is derived from love.

This man loves his homeland.

[3catwoman3]

2. This seems particularly ridiculous in light of Russia...

…and Belarus being banned from participating in the Olympics because of the former’s invasion of Ukraine and the latter support for the invasion.

[Polybius]

3. I think it's dumb to ban any nation

North Korea was in the last Summer games (they weren't even banned for this one, but did not have any athletes that qualified). USSR was in them in 1980 during the height of the Cold War (and attack on Afghanistan).

[maxsolomon]

4. A Hill article offers some more context for the IOC's ban:

Earlier Tuesday, IOC Communications Director Mark Adams explained the ban by telling reporters Tuesday that “we have to concentrate on the athletes’ performance and sport on the field of play” and “the games needed to be separated not just from political and religious, but from all types of interference.”

Under the IOC’s Rule 50, athletes are barred from displaying “political, religious or racial propaganda” in “any Olympic sites, venues or other areas.” The IOC says that the purpose of that regulation “is not to make athletes politically neutral, rather it is to keep the Olympic Games politically neutral.”

Adams said Tuesday that the IOC would make an “exception” to those guidelines and permit Heraskevych to wear a black armband during competition. However, Heraskevych said Tuesday that “I truly believe that [the] IOC don’t have so much black bands to honor all the athletes who have fallen in this war.”

https://thehill.com/policy/international/5731553-heraskevych-ioc-controversy-ukraine/

It's not religious or racial propaganda, but is it that "political"? I guess..

[onenote]

5. The IOC has barred Russia from participating in the Olympics.

Which is entirely appropriate. But if that's appropriate, then it should be appropriate for an athlete to wear a helmet commemorating those who have died because of the very thing that has resulted in Russia being banned.