The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has decided to dismiss the complaint of Ukrainian skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych, which he filed against the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The court examined the issue of the athlete’s ban on using a helmet featuring images of fallen Ukrainian athletes during competitions.
This is reported by Kyiv24
CAS’s Rationale and IOC’s Position
In its statement, CAS emphasized that the arbitrator in this case, while supporting Heraskevych’s desire to honor the memory of the deceased, found the IOC’s restrictions on athletes’ expression of opinions to be reasonable and proportionate. According to the court, the current IOC guidelines strike a balance between athletes’ right to freedom of speech and the necessity to focus on sporting achievements during competitions.
It was noted that while freedom of expression is a fundamental right for every athlete at the Olympics, the IOC regulations limit the ability to publicly express views specifically during athletic performances on the field of play. However, athletes have other platforms to draw attention to important issues — press conferences, mixed zones, social media, and training sessions, as in the case of Heraskevych, who used a helmet with portraits during four training sessions.
“The sole arbitrator found these restrictions to be reasonable and proportionate, considering the other opportunities for athletes to raise awareness (in mixed zones, at press conferences, on social media, or in Heraskevych’s case, wearing the helmet during four training sessions). The sole arbitrator notes that the aim is to maintain the focus of the Olympic Games on performances and sports, which is in the common interest of all athletes who have worked for years to appear at the Olympics and deserve undivided attention to their athletic performances and successes… As a result, the claim was dismissed,” the statement reads.
Background of the Decision and Heraskevych’s Reaction
On February 12, the IOC officially informed Vladyslav Heraskevych of his ban from participating in the 2026 Winter Olympic Games. The basis for this step was the Ukrainian athlete’s refusal to comply with the rules regarding expression of opinions — he intended to compete in the so-called ‘memory helmet’ featuring portraits of fallen compatriots.
Heraskevych is convinced that his actions did not violate existing regulations, and he considers the disqualification to be unlawful. On February 10, the athlete stated that the IOC had prohibited him from using a helmet with photographs of deceased Ukrainian athletes. Subsequently, the committee explained this ban as a violation of the rules but did not provide details. Instead, the IOC allowed the athlete to wear a black armband in memory of the fallen.
In response, Heraskevych noted that black armbands would not be sufficient to honor all fallen Ukrainian athletes. He also emphasized that despite the risk of disqualification, he does not plan to abandon the idea of competing in the ‘memory helmet’.