UPDATE 2 - Zelenskyy awards nation’s highest honor to Ukrainian athlete disqualified from Olympics

ADDS PRESIDENTIAL DECREE, CHANGE IN HEADLINE, DECK, LEDE​​​​​​​

By Kanyshai Butun and Alperen Aktas

ISTANBUL (AA) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy awarded the nation's highest honor Thursday to skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych following his disqualification from the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games.

The presidential decree said the Order of Freedom was bestowed for "selfless service to the Ukrainian people, civic courage, and patriotism in defending the ideals of freedom and democratic values."

It came after Heraskevych was barred from starting his race for wearing a helmet featuring portraits of fellow athletes killed in the war with Russia.

According to a statement from the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the athlete was previously warned that he would not be allowed to start in the men’s skeleton event wearing the helmet, which “did not comply with IOC rules.”

To mourn the loss of his fellow athletes, the IOC offered Heraskevych a black armband or a black ribbon as an alternative to wearing the helmet, said the statement.

The IOC said Heraskevych was able to display his helmet during all training runs and was offered the opportunity to wear it immediately after the competition while passing through the mixed zone.

But Heraskevych “did not consider any form of compromise,” refusing to comply with the IOC’s rules on athlete expression, which is why he was not allowed to start the race, according to the committee.

- ‘Having courage is more than having medals’

Commenting on the disqualification, Zelenskyy said on Telegram that the country is “proud of Vladyslav and his act,” adding, “Having courage is more than having medals.”

He stated that the committee’s decision “is definitely not in line with the principles of Olympism, which are based on justice and peace.”

“His helmet with portraits of deceased Ukrainian athletes is about honor and memory,” he said, noting that 660 Ukrainian athletes and coaches have been killed by Russia during the war.

“This is a reminder to the whole world of what Russian aggression is and the price of the fight for independence. There is no violation of any rule in this,” he said.

Meanwhile, Heraskevych said on US social media platform X that the committee’s decision is “the price for our dignity.”