Ukrainian Heraskevych loses appeal against Olympics disqualification: CAS
Ukrainian skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych poses with his helmet after a hearing at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (TAS) in Milan on February 13, 2026. Heraskevych was barred from the Milan-Cortina Games after refusing to back down from wearing a helmet adorned with pictures of Ukrainian sportsmen and women killed since Russian invaded in 2022.
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The Court of Arbitration for Sport said it had "denied an application by Skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych (Ukraine) against the International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation (IBSF) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC)."
CAS Secretary-General Matthieu Reeb told reporters after the hearing in Milan that the court had "found that freedom of expression is guaranteed at the Olympic Games, but not on the field of play, which is a sacred principle."
Gestures of a political nature during competition are forbidden under the Olympic charter and the IOC said Heraskevych had failed "to adhere to the IOC athlete expression guidelines".
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