Olympic-Banned Ukrainian Athlete Addresses UN After Helmet Tribute Controversy

Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych spoke at the United Nations after being barred from the Olympics for wanting to wear a helmet honoring war victims. He addressed students about using sports as a platform for important causes and has no regrets about his decision.

NEW YORK (TV Delmarva) — A Ukrainian skeleton athlete who was barred from Olympic competition found himself addressing the United Nations instead — an opportunity he never anticipated.

Vladyslav Heraskevych was prohibited from participating in the Milan Cortina Games due to his intention to compete wearing a helmet that honored victims of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. On Thursday, he addressed a panel at the U.N., explaining why he remains convinced his choice was correct.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of Change the World Model United Nations, an educational program for thousands of students, Heraskevych emphasized the broader purpose of athletics. “I think it’s important that we use this stage and talk about important things,” he stated. “Sometimes it feels like, in all these hours of training, we really forgot about the overall mission of sports. It is not only about the medals, but it’s also about values that we represent.”

The athlete shared the stage with Shiva Amini, a former Iranian women’s soccer player now living in exile in New York. Amini received asylum in Switzerland in 2017 after facing government threats for being photographed playing soccer with men without wearing the required hijab.

“We can save lives with sport,” Heraskevych declared during his presentation. “Sport gave people some hope.”

Olympic officials determined that his determination to wear the commemorative helmet violated “the Olympic Charter and Guidelines on Athlete Expression,” resulting in his competition ban. While Heraskevych used the helmet during practice sessions, the International Olympic Committee requested he switch to different headgear for actual races. Officials proposed alternatives, including wearing a memorial armband or displaying the helmet after leaving the ice.

During Thursday’s session, organizers read the names of the Ukrainian athletes featured on Heraskevych’s “memory helmet,” prompting applause from the audience.

Although his Olympic dreams ended with the competition ban, Heraskevych’s athletic career continues. He plans to participate in several World Cup events during the upcoming season, including a race at the Cortina d’Ampezzo track where he was previously denied the chance to compete. He’s also setting his sights on the 2030 Olympics.

The United Nations invitation caught him off guard. “It wasn’t part of my bucket list,” he admitted with a smile.

Since the Olympics concluded, Heraskevych has maintained a busy schedule. Together with his father, he’s operating a foundation supporting Ukrainian individuals and organizations, with generator distribution being a key focus due to widespread power outages and electrical grid instability. He continues seeking ways to commemorate the two dozen athletes and coaches represented on his banned helmet, while using his physics background to help address war-related challenges in his homeland.

Cultural promotion has also become part of his mission. He appeared at Thursday’s event wearing a vyshyvanka, Ukraine’s traditional embroidered shirt, and plans to showcase his country’s cuisine internationally.

“My goal is to get support and get awareness for Ukraine,” Heraskevych explained, “and not only about the war in Ukraine.”

Despite multiple opportunities for reflection over recent weeks, he maintains confidence in his decision to insist on wearing the helmet, despite knowing it could cost him his Olympic participation. He expresses no second thoughts about his choice.

“I believe I had the full right to wear this helmet, and to me, not wearing it would be like a betraying of my principles,” Heraskevych stated. “The people pictured on the helmet were victims of the war. It’s not right to betray them, too. … No, these people sacrificed their lives. They were not afraid. It’s not right to betray them. So, I don’t feel any regret. I regret that I could not participate, but it was not my fault.”