"The IOC Doesn't Have That Many Black Armbands."

Ukrainian athlete put the Olympic organizers in their place after the ban on the "memory helmet".

The leader of the Ukrainian national skeleton team Vladislav Heraskevich is not going to fulfill the requirement of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which banned him from using a helmet with the image of compatriots killed by the Russian army at the 2026 Games. The Ukrainian athlete also did not accept the offer to replace the headgear with a black armband.

Heraskevich himself declared during a press conference in Cortina, Italy. The 27-year-old from Kiev emphasized that Ukrainians continue to fight against Russian aggression and that his helmet depicts the victims the IOC is trying to illegally ban him from honoring.

"I see the faces on my helmet and I will not betray these athletes. My plan is to perform in this helmet at all practices and also on competition day. I don't agree with the IOC's decision because we didn't break any rules. Political propaganda, discrimination or racism.... It's definitely not about this helmet. As you can see, all these athletes were killed. But their voices are loud enough for me to hear. Black armbands? The IOC doesn't have that many black armbands to honor all the dead in this war," Geraskiewicz said.

The skeletonist's helmet depicts teenage weightlifter Alina Peregudova, boxer Pavel Ishchenko, hockey player Alexei Loginov, who died at the hands of Russians, actor and athlete Ivan Kononenko, athlete and diving coach Nikita Kozubenko, shooter Alexei Khabarov, dancer Darya Kurdel, and other Ukrainians.

The day before, Vladislav stepped out in the Memorial Slam despite the IOC ban. And the world media reacted emotionally to the situation with our athlete.

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