Ukraine’s Winter Olympics flag bearer Vladyslav Heraskevych says that his teammates might stage protests at the Milan Cortina Games over the choice to enable neutral athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete in Italy.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has cleared 13 Russian and 7 Belarusian athletes to take part as Individual Neutral Athletes (AINs) at the upcoming Games.
Their participation relies on following strict tips despatched out by the Olympic physique, which incorporates signing a Conditions of Participation form that “contains a commitment to respect the Olympic Charter, including ‘the peace mission of the Olympic Movement.’”
They should additionally show they aren’t actively supporting the warfare in Ukraine.
“I don’t agree with these criteria, and I believe that many Ukrainian athletes do not agree with these criteria,” the 27-year-old skeleton slider instructed NCS Sports forward of the Games.
“I do know that we will have a danger of some suspensions or warnings from the IOC, (however) I imagine it’s the suitable method.
“If you need to fight for your truth, if you believe that it’s not right, you should stand with your opinion.”
Heraskevych made headlines across the world 4 years in the past at the Beijing Games when he held up a “No War in Ukraine” banner to protest the upcoming Russian invasion. To this day, it’s a stand he doesn’t remorse taking.
“It doesn’t prevent war from starting, but at least I try to pay some attention to Ukraine,” he says.
“We want this consideration and we’d like it now. Ukraine can not need this warfare alone.
“We need support from other countries, and we need people (to) understand the scale of war because it’s really, really huge scale of war and huge scale of victims.”
Last month, skeleton racers from Ukraine, Latvia and Sweden staged a demonstration in opposition to the admission of Russian athletes competing as neutrals at a European Cup occasion in Innsbruck, Austria.
The protest adopted the choice by International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF) to grant neutral standing to nine Russian athletes of their competitions in December. This coming regardless of bobsled and skeleton athletes from the nation having initially been banned for 3 years following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Although Heraskevych received’t be competing in opposition to Russian or Belarusian skeleton athletes at the 2026 version of the Games, the Ukrainian says that permitting them to compete as neutrals regardless of hyperlinks to occupied territories or expressions of assist for the warfare undermines the precept of neutrality.
“It’s terrible because (we have) thousands of people being killed every day and with all of that, we are giving them permission to use this platform for their propaganda,” he says.
“It’s also a very sensitive topic because I already lost some colleagues,” he says with reference to the determine skater Dmytro Sharpar – with whom he competed at the 2016 Winter Youth Olympics in Lillehammer – who was killed in January 2023.
“He was killed in this war and we really like need to be in one arena with people who are supporting the killing of our friends?”
The Ukrainian – who’ll be competing at his third Winter Olympics – says he’s requested to communicate immediately to the IOC and has known as for extra “open conversations” relating to the choice standards for neutral athletes.
He factors to the instance of the International Biathlon Union (IBU) – which has allowed Darya Dolidovich, a Belarusian-born biathlete who went to Poland together with her household in 2022 as a refugee, to compete in World Cup races with the IBU’s refugee crew – as a “much better” answer.
Heraskevych could have the honour of carrying his nation’s flag in Cortina d’Ampezzo throughout Friday’s opening ceremony, a job he says is “much more important than any Winter Olympics” given the “difficult times” his countrymen and girls are experiencing again house.
“What is really scary for me is that people get used to the war,” he explains.
“It’s actually horrible to see that individuals get used to the rockets above their heads. People get used to going to the funeral of their associates virtually like each week and folks get used to the shelling of their like neighbors and their homes.
“Despite the war, people try to get on with their lives, try to keep working … but of course, every area of life of Ukrainians are damaged by the war.”
He says medals and outcomes are not every thing and insists that it’ll be reminding the world about Ukraine that’ll be at the forefront of his thoughts.
The timing couldn’t be extra pertinent with the second round of trilateral talks between Russia, Ukraine and the US happening in Abu Dhabi this week in a bid to break the deadlock and convey an finish to the battle.
“It’s a very important symbol when the Ukrainian flag is in the international stage and we’re able to be there among all the nations to show that we are still among the best nations in the world,” he says.
“For me, (the) important thing is to represent my country in the best possible way and bring some attention to my country … and to spread the truth of what’s going on in Ukraine.”