Heraskevych fights off wave of hate from Russians
Vladyslav Heraskevych (Photo: REUTERS/Annegret Hilse)
Russians have unleashed a torrent of hate messages against Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych after his disqualification from the 2026 Winter Olympics over his "remembrance helmet", Suspilne Sport wrote on Feb. 13.
The athlete admitted to the journalists that this wave of criticism has been ongoing for a long time. It is linked not only to the recent scandal but also to his active campaigning to ban Russian representatives from international sports.
"I receive many messages from Russians, but also throughout our work, I was very actively involved in matters regarding the suspension of Russian athletes," Heraskevych said.
"I also receive quite bad comments from Russian officials, [and] from propagandist Degtyaryov."
Timeline of the 'Remembrance helmet' scandal
Feb. 9: Heraskevych reported that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) banned him from wearing a helmet depicting deceased Ukrainian athletes at training and competition.
Compromise rejected: The IOC later allowed him to use a "black armband or ribbon without personalization," but Heraskevych refused, pointing out double standards: an Italian snowboarder was allowed to compete with a Russian flag on his helmet, despite symbols of the aggressor country being banned at the 2026 Games.
Feb. 12: Heraskevych was officially disqualified from the 2026 Olympics.
Following the IOC's decision, Heraskevych announced that his team is preparing a lawsuit for the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to defend his rights. He maintains that he violated no rules and that the committee failed to provide a clear explanation for the disqualification.
Meanwhile, President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked the athlete for his principled stance and awarded Heraskevych the Order of Liberty.
Will you support Ukraine’s free press?
Dear reader, as all news organizations, we must balance the pressures of delivering timely, accurate, and relevant stories with requirements to fund our business operations.
As a Ukrainian-based media, we also have another responsibility – to amplify Ukraine’s voice to the world during the crucial moment of its existence as a political nation.
It’s the support of our readers that lets us continue doing our job. We keep our essential reporting free because we believe in our ultimate purpose: an independent, democratic Ukraine.
If you’re willing to support Ukraine, consider subscribing to our Patreon starting from 5$ per month. We are immensely grateful.
Please help us continue fighting Russian propaganda.
Truth can be hard to tell from fiction these days. Every viewpoint has its audience of backers and supporters, no matter how absurd.
If conscious disinformation is reinforced by state propaganda apparatus and budget, its outcomes may become deadly.
There is no solution to this, other than independent, honest, and accurate reporting.
We remain committed to empowering the Ukrainian voice to push against the muck. If you’re willing to stand up for the truth – consider supporting us on Patreon starting from 5$ per month. Thank you very much.
Will you help tell Ukraine’s story to the world?
Twenty years ago, most people hadn’t even heard of Ukraine. Today, the country is on everyone’s lips and everyone’s headlines. War pushed us on the front page. But there are many other things we do that we are proud of – from music and culture to technology.
We need your help to tell the world Ukrainian story of resilience, joy, and survival. If you’re willing to back our effort, consider supporting us on Patreon starting from 5$ per month. We are immensely grateful.
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Google News
