Ukraine’s Heraskevych has appeal for Winter Olympic reinstatement dismissed | Winter Olympics News
Court Dismisses Appeal from Ukrainian Athlete Over Helmet Disqualification
Milano Cortina, Italy (AP) — The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Friday denied an appeal by Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych, who sought to be reinstated in the Milano Cortina Olympics after being disqualified for wearing a helmet that commemorated athletes killed since the onset of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Heraskevych, 27, was removed from Olympic competition on Thursday after the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation ruled the imagery on his helmet violated regulations concerning political neutrality.
“The CAS ad hoc division dismissed the application and found that freedom of expression is guaranteed at the Olympic Games, but not on the field of play, which is a sacred principle,” CAS Secretary-General Matthieu Reeb stated after an eight-hour hearing.
Heraskevych had hoped for reinstatement or at least a CAS-supervised run ahead of the final two heats scheduled for Friday evening. He expressed disappointment at the ruling, indicating he would explore legal options. “CAS has failed us. We will consider our next steps,” he told Reuters.
The disqualification of Heraskevych has garnered significant media attention in the early days of the Olympics. Attempts for a compromise were made by International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Kirsty Coventry, who met with the athlete on Thursday. The IOC proposed that Heraskevych wear a black armband and display the helmet before and after the race. However, the use of the helmet during competition was deemed a violation of rules against political protests.
CAS defended the IOC’s guidelines for athlete expression, labeling the limitations as fair and proportionate. “The Sole Arbitrator considers these guidelines provide a reasonable balance between athletes’ interests to express their views and the need for undivided attention to sporting performance on the field of play,” CAS remarked in its statement.
The Ukrainian Olympic Committee has rallied behind Heraskevych, who serves as the team’s flagbearer. Earlier, he had displayed a “No War in Ukraine” sign at the Beijing 2022 Olympics just days prior to the invasion. Additionally, he has received support from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
Established by the IOC in 1984, CAS acts as an independent judicial body for resolving sports-related disputes globally. Prior to the ruling, Heraskevych expressed criticism of the Milano-Cortina Games, stating they were serving as “propaganda” for Russia.
