The Ukrainian government has expressed strong disapproval of the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) decision to bar skeleton athlete Vladislav Geraskevych from competing in the upcoming Winter Olympics in Milan. The ban, announced on February 12, stems from Geraskevych’s intention to wear a helmet adorned with portraits of deceased Ukrainian athletes.
Matviy Bidny, Ukraine’s Minister of Youth and Sports, characterized the IOC’s ruling as a significant error that the organization has failed to rectify. He stated, “We will seek to correct this mistake through legal means. Vladislav, you have acted with dignity! This story will certainly continue.”
Andriy Sibiga, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, also weighed in, asserting that Geraskevych’s desire to honor fallen Ukrainian athletes did not contravene any participation rules. He remarked, “The IOC has not banned a Ukrainian athlete but rather its own reputation. Future generations will remember this as a moment of shame. He merely wanted to pay tribute to athletes killed during the war. There is nothing in this that contradicts the rules or ethics.”
Sibiga further criticized the IOC for what he described as intimidation and disrespect towards Ukrainian athletes, suggesting that the committee was instructing them on how to remain silent about the ongoing conflict. He noted that the IOC has failed to take a stand against Russia, which has initiated three military invasions during Olympic Games in the last three decades.
He emphasized, “It is the Russians who should be banned, not the honoring of their victims. None of them are ‘neutral.’ If the Olympic creed states that ‘the most important thing in the Olympic Games is not victory but participation,’ then the IOC has completely betrayed this principle by preventing Vladislav Geraskevych from competing, thus betraying the 650 Ukrainian athletes and coaches killed by Russia.”
On February 12, the IOC announced its ban on Geraskevych, citing his non-compliance with rules regarding expressions of opinion due to his planned helmet design. The committee stated that the helmet violated unspecified regulations, although it allowed for the wearing of black armbands to commemorate the deceased.
In response, Geraskevych argued that a black armband would be insufficient to honor the memory of the Ukrainian athletes lost. He acknowledged the possibility of disqualification but remained resolute in his intention to compete with the helmet as a tribute.
The Ukrainian government has condemned the IOC’s decision to disqualify skeleton athlete Vladislav Geraskevych for his tribute helmet. Officials argue that the ban undermines the athlete’s intent to honor fallen Ukrainian sports figures and reflects poorly on the IOC’s integrity.
Source: Radio Svoboda