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President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has awarded Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych, who was disqualified from the 2026 Olympics, with the Order of Freedom.
This was announced in a corresponding decree by the head of state.
Read also: “A moment of shame”: Ukraine slams the IOC over Heraskevych’s suspension
“Award the Order of Freedom to Vladyslav Mykhailovych Heraskevych — member of the national Olympic team of Ukraine, skeleton athlete,” the decree states.
The document specifies that the athlete received the honor for his selfless service to the Ukrainian people, civic courage, and patriotism in defending the ideals of freedom and democratic values.
The Heraskevych scandal
As a reminder, Vladyslav Heraskevych arrived at the 2026 Olympics with a “memory helmet” featuring photos of more than 20 Ukrainian athletes and coaches who were killed as a result of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) considered the gesture political propaganda and a violation of Rule 50 of the Olympic Charter, which prohibits any political or religious demonstrations in sports arenas.
The decision to disqualify him was made on the morning of February 12, just before his first run.
On the eve of and on the day of the competition, IOC officials tried to find a compromise: the athlete was offered the option of covering the images on the helmet, wearing a black armband instead, or displaying the helmet only after the finish in the mixed zone for the press.
However, Heraskevych refused these conditions, stressing that honoring the memory of the fallen is not political propaganda, and that the helmet was custom-made, making replacement before the start impossible without losing speed.
