In brief
Vladyslav Heraskevych has been disqualified from the Winter Olympics for refusing to remove his 'helmet of remembrance', which bears the images of Ukrainian athletes killed since Russia's invasion. The helmet serves as a tribute to over 20 sportspeople, including friends of Heraskevych. His disqualification and the denial of his appeal represent one of the Olympics' most significant controversies. More than a dozen athletes, including young talents, coaches, and established sports figures, have been memorialized on the helmet, each with their own tragic stories of loss due to the invasion.
Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych's disqualification from the Winter Olympics over his helmet depicting fellow athletes killed since Russia's full-scale invasion is the Games' biggest controversy so far.
Heraskevych was barred from the men's skeleton in Milan-Cortina earlier this week after he refused to stop wearing it and on Friday his appeal was denied.
He has said those featured on his helmet include teenage weightlifter Alina Peregudova, boxer Pavlo Ishchenko, and ice hockey player Oleksiy Loginov, adding that some of them were his friends. More than 20 athletes appear on the helmet in total — here's more on each of them.
