Ukrainian Skeleton Athlete Honors War Victims With Helmet Tribute at Winter Olympics

Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych made a striking statement at the Winter Olympics on Monday, training in a helmet adorned with images of fellow Ukrainians who have been killed during the ongoing war in his country.

The 26-year-old, who is also Ukraine’s flag bearer at the Games, said the display was his way of keeping international attention on the conflict. “Some of them were my friends,” Heraskevych told reporters after his training session at the Cortina sliding centre.

The helmet featured images of athletes and cultural figures, including teenage weightlifter Alina Perehudova, boxer Pavlo Ischenko, ice hockey player Oleksiy Loginov, actor and athlete Ivan Kononenko, diving coach Mykyta Kozubenko, shooter Oleksiy Habarov, and dancer Daria Kurdel.

Heraskevych previously held up a “No War in Ukraine” sign at the Beijing Olympics shortly before Russia’s invasion in 2022. He said he was mindful of Olympic rules that prohibit political demonstrations in venues but wanted to ensure Ukraine’s plight remained visible.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has contacted the Ukrainian Olympic Committee regarding the helmet, though no formal action has been taken as the situation is “still being processed,” Heraskevych said.

Rule 50.2 of the Olympic Charter prohibits “any kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda” at Olympic sites or venues. Both the IOC and the Ukrainian committee have yet to comment on the matter.

Since the 2022 invasion, Russian and Belarusian athletes were largely barred from international competition, though the IOC has supported their gradual return under strict conditions.

Heraskevych’s gesture highlights the ongoing human cost of the conflict while balancing the Olympic commitment to neutrality.