Ukrainian Vladyslav Heraskevich was disqualified from the Winter Olympics for refusing to compete without his helmet that honors the Ukrainian athletes in Ukraine.

Vladyslav Heraskevich, a Ukrainian skeleton athlete, was disqualified from the 2026 Winter Olympics due to his refusal to comply with the directives of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) regarding athlete expression. He wanted to wear a helmet decorated with images of athletes killed during the war in Ukraine. Despite meeting with IOC President Kirsty Coventry, who tried to resolve the situation, Heraskevich remained firm in his position, which led to his disqualification.

The IOC announced that it had revoked the athlete's accreditation, and he intends to contest the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). His coach filed a complaint for Heraskevich's reinstatement, who stated that he would wear the helmet in competition to honor the sacrifices of his colleagues. Although the IOC expressed a desire for him to compete, it emphasized that the rules must be followed.