(Photo credit score: REUTERS/Cristiano Corvino)
CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy — Ukrainian skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych mentioned on Monday a helmet he has utilized in coaching on the Milan Cortina Games with photographs of compatriots killed throughout the struggle in Ukraine can’t be utilized in Olympic competitors after being informed by the IOC that it violates a rule on political statements.
The helmet, which depicts a number of athletes killed within the struggle — a few of whom have been Heraskevych’s buddies — will now seemingly should be shelved following a go to from an IOC consultant.
Heraskevych, who’s his nation’s flag bearer on the Games, mentioned Toshio Tsurunaga, the International Olympic Committee consultant accountable for communications between athletes, nationwide Olympic committees and the IOC, had gone to the Athletes’ Village to tell him.
‘He mentioned it is due to Rule 50,’ Heraskevych informed Reuters. Rule 50.2 of the Olympic Charter states that ‘no type of demonstration or political, spiritual or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic websites, venues or different areas.’
The resolution to put on the helmet in Milan earned reward from Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
Writing on Telegram, Zelenskiy thanked Heraskevych ‘for reminding the world of the value of our battle.
‘This fact can’t be inconvenient, inappropriate, or referred to as a ‘political act at a sporting occasion.’ It is a reminder to the entire world of what trendy Russia is,’ Zelenskiy mentioned. ‘And it’s exactly this that reminds everybody of the worldwide function of sports activities and the historic mission of the Olympic motion — it is all about peace and for the sake of life. Ukraine stays devoted to this. Russia proves in any other case.’
Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
Earlier on Monday the IOC mentioned it had not acquired any official request from the Ukrainian Olympic Committee to make use of the helmet in competitors, which begins on Feb. 12.
‘To date, the IOC has not acquired any request from the NOC (National Olympic Committee) for the athlete to put on the helmet within the competitors,’ an IOC spokesperson mentioned. ‘Once a submission is made, the IOC will have a look at the request.’
Heraskevych informed Reuters the helmet depicted teenage weightlifter Alina Perehudova, boxer Pavlo Ischenko, ice hockey participant Oleksiy Loginov, actor and athlete Ivan Kononenko, diver and coach Mykyta Kozubenko, shooter Oleksiy Habarov and dancer Daria Kurdel.
Heraskevych, who held up a ‘No War in Ukraine’ signal on the Beijing 2022 Olympics days earlier than Russia’s invasion, had mentioned he meant to respect Olympic guidelines prohibiting political demonstrations at venues whereas nonetheless guaranteeing Ukraine’s plight remained seen throughout the Games.
SPORT AND POLITICS
Following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, athletes from Russia and its ally Belarus have been largely barred from worldwide sport, however the IOC has since backed their gradual return underneath strict circumstances.
Moscow and Minsk say sport ought to stay separate from worldwide conflicts.
There have been various incidents over time the place athletes have protested on the sphere of play or on the medals podium.
The most well-known case dates again to the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City when U.S. sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised black-gloved fists throughout the 200 meters medal ceremony to protest racial injustice within the U.S.
That led to their expulsion from the Games, though Smith stored his gold medal and Carlos his bronze.
More not too long ago, on the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, Afghan breakdancer Manizha Talash, a member of the refugee Olympic crew, was disqualified after carrying a cape with the slogan ‘Free Afghan Women’ throughout a pre-qualifying competitors.
However, there have additionally been circumstances the place athletes and groups escaped punishment when their motion was not deemed political.
Australia’s girls’s soccer crew unfurled a flag of the primary peoples of Australia on the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 however, whereas it was not one of many acknowledged flags of collaborating nations on the Games, the crew was not sanctioned.
Two Chinese biking medalists who wore badges that includes the top of their nation’s former chief Mao Zedong on the rostrum in Tokyo escaped with a warning.
–Reuters, particular to Field Level Media