The Milan Olympics have seen terrific performances from athletes, who are also presenting themselves in special gear. And for Vladyslav Heraskevych, it wasn’t just sliding down the icy chute at the Eugenio Monti center to clock times, but a remembrance of his fallen Ukrainian athletes. However, as for the IOC, the move was a violation; it made the skeleton racer speak against the rules.

On Thursday, he will compete in the heats, but Heraskevych had to make his feelings clear on X, stating, “Am I showing ‘conflict’ on the helmet? I’m showing athletes who died since last Winter Olympic Games. By which details did he determine that the helmet is showing a conflict? The whole world sees ‘memory’, but he sees a conflict?”

So, what led him to issue this statement? Mark Adams, the IOC spokesperson, shared his thoughts on the ‘helmet of remembrance’ ban for the Ukrainian, stating, “We want him to compete. We really, really want him to have his moment. That’s very, very important. And we will reiterate the many, many opportunities that he has to express his grief.”

He added, “He can do so on social media, in press conferences, in the mixed zone. He can, and we would encourage him to express his grief. We feel his grief. We would expressly want him to do that. But, you know, in the end, let me be clear. It’s not the message. It’s the place that counts. And that’s us. And not actually us. We are in this, in a sense, in a back seat.”

For the IOC, his helmet violated rule 50.2 of the Olympic Charter. Under the conduct, athletes can’t showcase any kind of demonstration or political, religious, or racial propaganda in any Olympic sites, venues, or other areas.

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“It’s the message of the athletes, that the athletes have reiterated to us time and time again. There are 130 conflicts going on in the world. We cannot have 130 different conflicts featured. However terrible they are, we cannot have them featured during the field of play, during the actual competition. So we would beg him, we want you to compete,” Adams said.

For Heraskevych, keeping those faces on his helmet was no protest but a reminder of lives lost. It was no symbol but a tribute to his former fellow Ukrainian athletes who couldn’t make it to the Milan Olympics. And his dedication to represent the fallen and make a stand where it matters is never-ending.

Vladyslav Heraskevych stays resilient at the Milan Olympics

Dmytro Sharpar, Pavlo Ishchenko, Yevhen Malyshev, and Alina Perehudova were among the Ukrainian athletes who were featured on Vladyslav Heraskevych’s helmet. His statement on it? “I used it in all trainings. I used it today, I will use it tomorrow, and I will use it on race day. I truly believe that we didn’t violate any law and any rules,” he said about the ‘helmet of remembrance’ at the Milan Olympics.

Fellow Ukrainian luger Olena Smaha, who finished 20th in the women’s event, showcased a powerful message on her glove that read, “remembrance is not a violation.” She risked a ban from the IOC but stood by her compatriot.

Even Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote an emotional message on social media praising Heraskevych’s efforts, stating, “I thank the flag bearer of our national team at the Winter Olympics, Vladyslav Heraskevych, for reminding the world of the price of our struggle. This truth cannot be inconvenient, inappropriate, or called a ‘political demonstration at a sporting event.'”

The skeleton racer has admired the support he received worldwide, and reports also revealed that he has participated in charity work. There, he helped his country by delivering food, medical supplies, and other necessities to those who were affected in the conflict. Now, only time will tell if the athlete will show up in the same helmet for the heats in the Milan Olympics.