Vladyslav Heraskevych, a 27-year-old Ukrainian skeleton racer, was disqualified from the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics for wearing a helmet featuring images of athletes who lost their lives due to Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. This decision was made by the jury of the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation, which ruled that the helmet's design violated the competition's regulations. Heraskevych had been allowed to train with the helmet in Cortina d’Ampezzo prior to the disqualification, raising questions about the timing and fairness of the ruling.

Following his disqualification, the owner of Ukraine's FC Shakhtar Donetsk donated over $200,000 (about €170,000) to support Heraskevych. This generous contribution highlights the solidarity within the Ukrainian sports community and underscores the broader political implications of sports at international events. Just hours before the critical final runs, Heraskevych lost his appeal in the sports arbitration court, after already missing the first two heats due to the disqualification.

The situation around Heraskevych sheds light on the intersection of sports and politics, particularly how athletes are navigating international competitions under the shadow of geopolitical conflicts. The International Olympic Committee had warned Heraskevych and previously stated that athletes should avoid such political messages during the games, pointing towards ongoing criticism and challenges faced by athletes from Ukraine amidst the war and its ramifications in the sports world.