Italian snowboarder Roland Fischnaller (45) appeared on the track at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina wearing a helmet with the flags of several countries, including the Russian tricolor. The IOC did not take disciplinary action against the athlete. This was reported by UNN.
Details
In addition, information is circulating online that the IOC has provided its explanation for this decision. As it turned out, the flags reflect Fischnaller's participation in previous Olympics (of the countries where they were held).
In contrast, Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych was not allowed to compete in a helmet with portraits of Ukrainian athletes who died during Russian aggression. The organizers explained that such symbolism has political connotations and contradicts the rules of the Olympic Charter.
The National Olympic Committee of Ukraine appealed to the IOC with a request to reconsider the decision and allow the athlete to compete in a memorial helmet.
Recall
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy reacted to the ban on Vladyslav Heraskevych using a "special" helmet at the 2026 Olympics. The head of state emphasized that such actions are critically important for conveying the truth to a global audience.
At the same time, the Center for Countering Disinformation recorded the continuation of an information campaign against Ukrainians amid the Olympic Games in Italy. They reported that Russian propagandists spread a fake TV report, disguised as material from the Canadian television company CBC, claiming "inadequate behavior" of Ukrainian athletes.