Heraskevych ban reflects badly on the International Olympic Committee | Letters

2026-02-16 - 17:05

Readers respond to the barring of a Ukrainian athlete after he insisted on wearing a helmet featuring photos of athletes and children killed during Russia’s war on his country Lizzy Yarnold says the ban on the Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych centres on this rule in the Olympic charter: “No kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas” (Olympic chiefs have got it badly wrong over Heraskevych ban and owe him an apology, 13 February). However, I’m not sure how the International Olympic Committee can say Heraskevych is presenting “political propaganda” when he simply has the images of deceased athletes on his helmet – there was no statement nor overt symbolism that is anti-Russia, and no mention of the war or nationalism etc. Continue reading...