CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — The Court of Arbitration for Sport was hearing the appeal surrounding the disqualification of Ukrainian skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych from the Milan Cortina Games on Friday, though it still isn't clear how he could compete in these Olympics even if he wins his case.
Meanwhile, his disqualification was justified because he insisted on bringing his messaging — a tribute helmet — onto the field of play, International
Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry reiterated Friday.
Heraskevych was in Milan for the hearing Friday, still believing that his plan to wear a helmet displaying the images of more than 20 Ukrainian athletes and coaches who have been killed since Russia invaded their country in 2022 was not in violation of the Olympic Charter.
“I feel the same as the last four days,” Heraskevych said. “I believe I didn’t fail at any rules, so therefore I shouldn’t be suspended, and I should be today part of the Olympic Games, part of the competition, but not part of the hearing. So, we continue to fight for our truth.”
Speaking in Milan, a day after she visited with Heraskevych in Cortina d'Ampezzo moments before he was told that he could not participate in his Olympic race, Coventry repeated what the IOC has been pointing to for several days about the need to control how messages from athletes can be shared with the world.
“I think that he in some ways understood that but was very committed to his beliefs, which I can respect,” Coventry said. “But sadly, it doesn't change the rules.”
Heraskevych has already missed the first two runs of his competition, with the final two runs set to take place on Friday evening — so it’s unclear how his case could be remedied to his liking.
IOC spokesman Mark Adams said he believes the CAS ruling will come quickly, but neither he nor Coventry would speculate if Heraskevych — provided he wins his appeal — could somehow be returned to the Olympic race.
“Obviously, we know the schedule of the competition, and it’s an objective for CAS to be able to render the decision before the start of the race, assuming that it’s possible,” CAS director general Matthew Reeb said before the hearing. “We don’t know how long the hearing will take.”
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AP journalists Annie Risemberg and Stefanie Dazio in Milan contributed to this story.
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