IOC allows Ukrainian athlete to wear black armband at Olympics for war dead

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Tuesday (February 10, 2026) said a Ukrainian skeleton racer could wear a black armband at the Winter Olympics instead of a banned helmet that features Ukrainians killed in the war with Russia.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has defended Vladyslav Heraskevych’s right to wear the helmet, which carries pictures of dead Ukrainian sportsmen and women, at the Milan-Cortina Games.

IOC spokesperson Mark Adams said the helmet contravened guidelines about political symbols at the Olympics but said it would “make an exception to the guidelines to allow him to wear a black armband during competition to make that commemoration”.

Ukrainian Sports Minister Matviy Bidnyi told AFP this month that Russia has killed “more than 650 athletes and coaches”, according to the latest data.