The situation involving Ukrainian skeleton athlete Vladislav Geraskevich has sparked discussion following his disqualification before the start of the 2026 Olympic Games.

According to reports from Suspilne Sport, Geraskevich was eager to participate in the first run of the event known as the "Helmet of Memory", but the competition proceeded without him.

On the eve of the event, the International Olympic Committee banned the athlete from competing in the "Helmet of Memory", which led to his disqualification.

On the day of the competition, Vladislav shared a statement on his Instagram page regarding the recent events surrounding the "Helmet of Memory".

"I never intended to create a scandal with the IOC, nor did I instigate one. The IOC has created this situation with its interpretation of the rules, which many consider discriminatory.

While the IOC's actions have brought attention to the Ukrainian athletes who lost their lives, the scandal itself distracts a significant amount of attention from the competitions and the athletes participating in them. Therefore, I once again urge to put an end to this controversy.

I request:

1. Lift the ban on the use of the "Helmet of Memory".

2. Apologize for the pressure placed on me in recent days.

3. In a show of solidarity with Ukrainian sports, provide electric generators for Ukrainian sports facilities suffering from shelling.

I sincerely hope for a response before the skeleton competitions begin," the athlete stated.