The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has banned a Ukrainian athlete for wearing a helmet including political messaging.
Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych wore a 'helmet of remembrance' which honoured his compatriots killed during Russia's war on Ukraine.
Earlier this week, the 27-year-old wore the custom headwear during a Winter Olympics training session in Cortina.
Heraskevych's helmet featured several Olympic athletes who were killed in the war.
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Taking to Instagram on Monday (9 February), Heraskevych said the IOC's decision to place a ban 'simply breaks my heart'.
"The IOC bans the use of my helmet in official training and competitions," he wrote.
"The feeling that the IOC is betraying those athletes who were part of the Olympic movement, not allowing them to be honored on the sports arena where these athletes will never be able to step again.
"Despite precedents in modern times and in the past when the IOC allowed such tributes, this time they decided to set special rules just for Ukraine."
IOC spokesperson Mark Adams told a news conference in Milan-Cortina that the helmet went against Rule 50.2 of the Olympic Charter.
The rule states that 'no kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas'.
“The IOC fully understands the desire of athletes to remember friends and colleagues who have lost their lives in that conflict, and in many, many other difficult conflicts around the world,” Adams said on Tuesday.
“It's fundamental that there are equal rights for all athletes and that the games need to be separated not just from political and religious, but from all types of interference so that all the athletes competing can concentrate on their performance.
“What we said is that this helmet contravenes the guidelines.
"But that being said, after the meeting, we also reiterated once again that we will in this case, as we do now more often, make an exception to the guidelines to allow him to wear a black armband during competition.”
The helmet included images of teenage weightlifter Alina Perehudova, boxer Pavlo Ischenko, ice hockey player Oleksiy Loginov, actor and athlete Ivan Kononenko, diver and coach Mykyta Kozubenko, shooter Oleksiy Habarov and dancer Daria Kurdel.
“I think what we've tried to do is to address his desires with compassion and understanding,” Adams added.
“He has expressed himself on social media and in the training.
“We will not stop him expressing himself in press conference and in the mixed zone. We feel that this is a good compromise in the situation.”
Topics: Winter Olympics, Olympics, Sport
Anish Vij