Feb. 12 (UPI) -- Ukraine bobsled skeleton pilot Vladyslav Heraskevych was banned from the Olympics for refusing to replace a helmet that honored dead Ukrainians, officials said Thursday.
The International Olympic Committee said Heraskevych refused to "adhere to the IOC athlete expression guidelines." The decision was announced less than an hour before the start of the 2026 Winter Olympics bobsled competition.
"This is the price of our dignity," Heraskevych, who plans to appeal through the Court of Arbitration for Sport, wrote Thursday in an Instagram post.
The helmet, which Heraskevych wore in training sessions, shows photos of more than 20 athletes and coaches killed in Ukraine's war with Russia.
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