Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych will not compete in the Winter Olympics after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) dismissed his appeal to wear a helmet depicting images of athletes killed during Russia’s invasion of his homeland.
Heraskevych asked Cas to get his spot back at the Olympics after he was banned by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) before the first heat of the men’s skeleton on Thursday.
Having worn the helmet, which the IOC said violated the rules of the Olympic charter, during training sessions this week, IOC president Kirsty Coventry visited him at Cortina’s sliding track in a last-ditch attempt to convince him not to wear it in competition.
But the 26-year-old refused to back down, believing the helmet was within the rules and an emergency ad-hoc meeting with Cas took place on Friday.
Cas said that while they were “completely sympathetic” to Heraskevych’s case and his right to “freedom of expression”, it was not allowed “on the field of play”.
The IOC said that Heraskevych can display his helmet in mixed zones, news conferences and on social media, but that “the field of play is sacred”.