Ukrainian sees appeal for reinstatement dismissed

MILAN -- The Court of Arbitration for Sport on Friday dismissed an appeal by Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych to be reinstated in the Milan Cortina Olympics after he was disqualified over his "helmet of remembrance."

The 27-year-old was removed from the Olympic program on Thursday when the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation jury ruled that imagery on the helmet -- depicting athletes killed since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 -- breached rules on political neutrality.

"The CAS ad Hoc division dismissed the application and found that freedom of expression is guaranteed at the Olympic Games but not on the field of play which is a sacred principle," CAS secretary general Matthieu Reeb said, reading from a statement following an eight-hour hearing.

Heraskevych, who was seeking reinstatement or at least a CAS-supervised run ahead of the final two runs set for Friday evening, said he would look at his legal options now.

"CAS has failed us. We will consider our next steps," Heraskevych told Reuters.

The case has dominated headlines in the first week of the Olympics, with the International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry meeting the athlete on Thursday morning at the sliding venue in Cortina d'Ampezzo in a last-minute attempt to broker a compromise and have him race without the specific helmet.

The IOC instead offered that he wear a black armband and display the helmet before and after the race but said using the helmet in competition breached its rules on political protests and slogans in the field of play.

In a statement, CAS said the IOC guidelines for athletes' expression in the Games were fair.

"The Sole Arbitrator found these limitations reasonable and proportionate, considering the other opportunities for athletes to raise awareness," CAS said.

"The Sole Arbitrator considers these Guidelines provide a reasonable balance between athletes' interests to express their views, and athletes' interests to receive undivided attention for their sporting performance on the field of play."

Ukraine's Olympic Committee has backed its athlete, who is also the team's flagbearer for the Games and also displayed a "No War in Ukraine" sign at the Beijing 2022 Olympics, days before Russia's invasion. Heraskevych has received support from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

CAS was established in 1984 by the IOC as an independent judicial authority to settle sports disputes worldwide.

--Reuters, Special to Field Level Media