The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has rejected the appeal from Ukrainian athlete Vladislav Heraskevich, who has been disqualified from competing in skeleton events at the Winter Olympics due to his choice to wear a helmet featuring images of athletes who were killed in the conflict with Russia. The CAS stated that while freedom of expression is an important value upheld during the Olympic Games, it is conditioned by guidelines that must be respected outside of the competition venues.

Matthieu Reeb, the Secretary-General of CAS, emphasized that honoring the memory of those lost to war is significant, yet athletes must adhere to established principles that restrict expressions in certain competition contexts. The single arbitrator assigned to this case, German judge Annett Rombach, expressed her understanding of Mr. Heraskevich's intention to raise awareness about the suffering of the Ukrainian people, while still having to enforce the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) regulations regarding athletes' expressions.

This ruling highlights the ongoing tension between individual expression and compliance with Olympic protocols, especially in sensitive geopolitical contexts like the conflict between Ukraine and Russia. Heraskevich's case reflects broader issues concerning athlete activism and the limitations imposed by international sporting bodies, posing questions about how personal tributes can coexist with the rules governing participation in global competitions.