Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has signed a decree that officially imposes sanctions against ten athletes from the Russian Federation. The decision was made by the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine based on an electronic petition initiated by Ukrainian skeleton athlete and member of the national Olympic team Vladislav Geraskevich.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Reasons for Imposing Sanctions
The sanctions target those Russian athletes who are considered by Ukraine to be involved in supporting Russian aggression against our state. The list includes those who visited the occupied territories of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia regions, and Crimea, publicly justified the actions of the Russian Federation, or participated in fundraising for the Russian occupying forces.
“This Ukrainian sanctions package should be a signal to others in the world – a signal that one cannot simply turn a blind eye to supporting aggression. When Ukrainians at the Olympics are even prohibited from mentioning the victims of Russian aggression, it is definitely a global rollback from justice. We will restore justice,” Zelensky is quoted by the president’s website.
Response from the Sports Community
In February 2026, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) banned Ukrainian athlete Vladislav Geraskevich from participating in the Winter Olympic Games. The reason was the athlete’s refusal to “adhere to the rules regarding the expression of views,” particularly his intention to compete in a “memory helmet” featuring portraits of fallen Ukrainian athletes. Geraskevich insists that he did not violate any norms, and his disqualification is unlawful.
Previously, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) rejected Geraskevich’s complaint against the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation and the IOC. The situation has sparked widespread resonance in the sports and human rights communities and has highlighted the issue of protecting the rights of Ukrainian athletes in international competitions.