Herakevych -Ukraine-Banned from Skeleton

Furryanimal

Furryanimal

Y gath o Gymru
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Ukrainian skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych was disqualified from the Winter Olympics just an hour before his event on Thursday.

The disqualification was due to his helmet, which featured images of people killed in the war with Russia, deemed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to contravene rules against making statements on the field of play.

Heraskevych met with IOC president Kirsty Coventry, but an agreement could not be reached, with Heraskevych stating the decision plays into “Russian propaganda”.

Reflecting on the disqualification, Heraskevych accused the IOC of making a “terrible mistake”.

Coventry maintained the IOC's decision was not political, citing the wishes of the Athletes' Commission to prohibit all messaging on the field of play, while allowing athletes to express views elsewhere.

Meanwhile Russians and Belarusians continue to compete under the ‘AIN’ banner.
 

I think the Olympic goal strives to keep international conflict out of the games. Countries at war can send athletes to compete, but cannot send political messages with them. Athletes are expected to maintain political neutrality, which was apparently why the AIN banner exists. Why it only applies to Russians and Belarusians is an oddity. It might be because those countries had pushed politics into the games in the past.

The original goal as "Games of peace," creates fine lines that will be tested from time to time. Heraskevych can still compete, as long as he expresses politics outside the games. "Outside the games" is in itself a fine line, I suppose. The controversy already happened in the games, so even if he traded off his helmet now, he has still used the games to make a political point, probably not deeply, but he's playing with the fine lines, which of course opens another debate.
 
IrishEyes said:
I can understand his need/want to be heard but rules are for everyone and to allow him to,
opens that huge door and possible unnecessary conflicts on field and in the stands.
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I think political stuff has its place, but should not spill over into non-political places.
From sports to businesses, it shouldn't be about 'making a statement.' The approach causes more problems than there already are.
 
Furryanimal said:
Ukrainian skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych was disqualified from the Winter Olympics just an hour before his event on Thursday.

The disqualification was due to his helmet, which featured images of people killed in the war with Russia, deemed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to contravene rules against making statements on the field of play.

Heraskevych met with IOC president Kirsty Coventry, but an agreement could not be reached, with Heraskevych stating the decision plays into “Russian propaganda”.

Reflecting on the disqualification, Heraskevych accused the IOC of making a “terrible mistake”.

Coventry maintained the IOC's decision was not political, citing the wishes of the Athletes' Commission to prohibit all messaging on the field of play, while allowing athletes to express views elsewhere.

Meanwhile Russians and Belarusians continue to compete under the ‘AIN’ banner.
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I remember one summer Olympic that all the Black Americans were raising their closed fist on the awards stand. Much like today NFL just two years ago refusing to stand for our anthem, always two tiered justice when unknowns are in charge.
 
Mat said:
I remember one summer Olympic that all the Black Americans were raising their closed fist on the awards stand. Much like today NFL just two years ago refusing to stand for our anthem, always two tiered justice when unknowns are in charge.
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I remember that and feeling so let down that it happened. Maybe that was the reason for the quick stopping of this time.
It should have never happened in that venue.
 
IrishEyes said:
I remember that and feeling so let down that it happened. Maybe that was the reason for the quick stopping of this time.
It should have never happened in that venue.
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It's also too late to stop a political statement when the athletes are already on the podium with their medals. I'm not sure how that could have been handled at the time. Perhaps there could be an understanding that any medals or recognition of participation could be redacted for a violation of the political rule. But once again, the political statement would have been made, and recorded for posterity. It's a can of worms, isn't it?
 
IrishEyes said:
Probably but wouldn't it have been better to follow rules, go out and beat the ones he wanted/needed to and bring home the Gold?
Sure would have been more positive news if he had.
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As an avid follower of Skeleton-Britain is remarkably good at it- I know he was unlikely to have got a medal.
A top 10 place perhaps.
Will be interesting to see if he has rethink before the team event.
 
Furryanimal said:
Coventry maintained the IOC's decision was not political, citing the wishes of the Athletes' Commission to prohibit all messaging on the field of play, while allowing athletes to express views elsewhere.
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Those rules seem to be perfectly reasonable. Had he won a metal, he could have worn the helmet on the podium, or worn a shirt with the images, or even held up a sign. He just couldn't do that kind of thing on the "field of play," which could have disrupted the actual event.
 
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