Foreign Minister calls IOC decision to disqualify Heraskevych for "helmet of remembrance" a "moment of shame"

Minister of Foreign Affairs Andriy Sybiha reacted to the disqualification of Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych by the International Olympic Committee, calling it a "moment of shame" for future generations, UNN reports.

The IOC did not disqualify a Ukrainian athlete, but its own reputation. Future generations will remember this as a moment of shame.

The minister pointed out that the Ukrainian athlete "just wanted to honor the memory of his fellow athletes who died in the war." "There is nothing wrong with this under any rules or ethical norms," the foreign minister continued.

"The IOC intimidated, disrespected, and even lectured our athlete and other Ukrainians that they should keep silent about 'one of 130 conflicts in the world,'" Sybiha said.

The minister noted that "the IOC has also systematically failed to confront the biggest violator of international sports and the Olympic Charter - Russia." "A country that has invaded three times during the Olympic truce in the last three decades, implemented the largest state doping program, killed 650 Ukrainian athletes and coaches, and damaged 800 sports facilities in Ukraine," the foreign minister remarked.

"Russians should be disqualified, not the memory of their victims. None of them are 'neutral,'" Sybiha emphasized.

The minister stressed: "If the Olympic code states that 'the most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part,' then the IOC has completely betrayed it by not allowing Vladyslav Heraskevych to participate and by betraying 650 Ukrainian athletes and coaches killed by Russia."

"We are proud to have Vladyslav, who did not betray them. Thank you for your principles and courage," Sybiha wrote.

Addition

The IOC disqualified Ukrainian Vladyslav Heraskevych before the first run of the 2026 Olympics in skeleton because he was supposed to start in a "helmet of memory" - as a sign of respect for fallen Ukrainian athletes and all our Heroes.

Heraskevych told reporters that he would appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).