IOC bars Ukrainian athlete's tribute helmet honouring war victims

The International Olympic Committee has banned the Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych from wearing a helmet honouring his country’s athletes killed in the war against Russia.

The IOC allowed him to wear a black band but barred the helmet citing the Olympic Charter guidelines. 

Rule 50.2 of the Olympic Charter states, “No kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas.”

Heraskevych wanted to wear what he described as a "helmet of remembrance", which had pictures of the athletes killed during the war with Russia.

In a letter to the IOC, the Ukrainian Olympic Committee claimed that the helmet fully complies with IOC rules and safety guidelines. 

It added, “It does not contain advertising, political slogans or discriminatory elements, and was confirmed as meeting established standards during official training.”

The IOC spokesperson Mark Adams said that sport should not be mixed with political, religious or any form of interference, adding, “We fully understand the desire to remember friends and colleagues who have lost their lives in the conflict.”

Adams said that they reached a compromise and Heraskevych will be allowed to wear a black armband.

However, it remains unclear if the Ukrainian athlete will choose to wear the armband.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticised the IOC’s decision, saying, “The truth cannot be called a political demonstration at a sporting event.”