IOC's Shameful Ban of Vladyslav Heraskevych Exposes Moral Bankruptcy and Complicity with Russian Aggression
12 February 2026: Global Athlete condemns the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) outrageous and morally reprehensible decision to ban Ukrainian skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych from competition at Milano Cortina 2026 for the “crime” of honoring his fallen compatriots murdered by Russian aggression. This is not about “athlete expression guidelines.” This is about the IOC’s cowardly capitulation to geopolitical pressure and its shameful willingness to silence an athlete whose only offense was remembering the dead.
The IOC's "Guidelines on Athlete Expression" and enforcement of Rule 50 are right now highlighting that these rules exist purely to silence and control athletes’ voices in order to favour political partnerships and financial interests. The IOC proclaims that sport should be above politics, yet this decision proves the opposite. The organisation is a political actor serving its own institutional interests and geopolitical powers.
The IOC's suggestion that Heraskevych visit a "multifaith centre" or wear a "black armband" instead of his helmet is a profound insult that demonstrates a complete failure to understand the gravity of the situation. This is not about providing "appropriate venues for mourning." This is about erasing visible evidence of the ongoing consequences of Russia's invasion because such reminders complicate the IOC's narrative that Russian athletes can compete 'neutrally' while their country wages war. Heraskevych's teammates were not killed in accidents. They were killed by a regime that uses sport as a tool of propaganda while conducting genocide. Yet the response of the IOC is to welcome Russian athletes to the Olympics and to punish a Ukrainian athlete for daring to remember his teammates.
We stand unequivocally with Vladyslav Heraskevych. His courage in refusing to compromise his values is exactly what the Olympic movement should celebrate, not punish.
We call on athletes and allies to stand with Vladyslav and denounce this decision.