The International Olympic Committee pleaded on Wednesday with skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych to compete without a banned helmet depicting Ukrainian athletes killed since Russia’s invasion and avoid potential disqualification.
The athlete, however, remained defiant after a meeting between the two sides on Wednesday afternoon failed to break the impasse.
The IOC offered him the opportunity to display his “helmet of remembrance” depicting 24 images of dead compatriots before the start and after the end of Thursday’s race at the Milano Cortina Games, while also allowing him to wear a black armband while competing. However, the 27-year-old, who again trained on Wednesday in the helmet, said he would go ahead and wear it for Thursday’s race.
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