Ukraine's Vladyslav Heraskevych has been banned from competing in the Olympic skeleton event over a helmet dispute, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has said. Heraskevych wanted to wear a helmet commemorating Ukrainian athletes who died in the war with Russia in the competition which starts later Thursday.

The Ukrainian Olympic athlete Vladislav Heraskevych displays the memorial helmet that resulted in his ban.

Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych said he hoped "truth would prevail" as he appealed to sport's highest court on Friday following his Olympic ban as US figure skating sensation Ilia Malinin eyed a second gold of the Milan-Cortina Games.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he was "proud" of Vladylsav Heraskevych, adding, "Having courage is worth more than any medal."

As Ukrainian athletes prepare for the 2026 Winter Olympics, they will seek to boost the morale of their compatriots in Ukraine amid an ongoing war and a brutal winter.

IOC disqualifies Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych for helmet honoring war dead, sparking criticism from President Zelenskyy.

Skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych wanted to wear a helmet depicting Ukrainian athletes and coaches killed in the ongoing war against Russia.

A Ukrainian athlete has been disqualified from the Winter Olympics over his insistence on wearing a helmet honoring people killed in his country's war with Russia

Ukrainian skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych was barred from racing at the Milan Cortina Games on Thursday after refusing a last-minute plea from the International Olympic Committee to not use a h