The disqualification of Ukrainian skeleton athlete Vladislav Heraskevich during the Winter Olympics sparked a wave of disinformation surrounding the event. Heraskevich was barred from competing by the International Olympic Committee after he refused to change his helmet, which featured images of over 20 Ukrainian athletes and coaches who have been killed in the Russian war against Ukraine. This seemingly political act led to various reactions across social media, where misinformation began to circulate almost immediately.

On February 12, the same day as Heraskevich's disqualification was announced, posts began appearing on the social media platform 'X' featuring an image of Hungarian cross-country skier Ádám Kónya. In this photograph, Kónya gestures with his hand, and claims arose that an inscription in English on his glove read, "We’re all fed up with U," which could be interpreted as a veiled reference to Ukraine, with some users on social media suggesting that Kónya's gesture was aimed specifically at Heraskevich or Ukrainian athletes who supported him.

Fact-checking initiative "Eurovision News Spotlight" took up the task of verifying the origins of this photograph to counter misinformation around the event. This circumstance highlights how sporting events can become flashpoints for disinformation campaigns, particularly involving politically sensitive issues such as the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, demonstrating how quickly narratives can be manipulated in the public domain, especially during high-profile events like the Olympics.