Vladyslav Heraskevych: No action against Ukrainian skeleton athlete who flashed ‘No War’ sign
‘This was a general call for peace. For the IOC, the matter is closed’
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The International Olympic Committee (IOC) will not censure Ukrainian skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych who ended his third run at the Beijing Olympics on Friday by flashing a small sign that campaigned for peace in his motherland.
Heraskevych held up a small sign that read “No War in Ukraine”, printed on a blue-and-yellow piece of paper symbolising the colours of Ukraine’s flag.
However, an IOC spokesperson was quoted on Saturday as saying by the Eurosport that Heraskevych will face no repercussions for his act. The Olympic Charter mandates that there can be “no kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas”.
However, according to the IOC, Rule 50 had not been violated. “This was a general call for peace. For the IOC the matter is closed,” the spokesperson said.
Heraskevych’s action came as the Biden administration warned that Russia could invade Ukraine at any moment, as it asked its citizens to leave the country within 48 hours. While diplomatic efforts are on, US officials are also preparing to evacuate its embassy in Kyiv.
Moscow, however, has dismissed the warning as “hysteria”.
“The hysteria of the White House is more indicative than ever,” said Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova. “The Anglo-Saxons need a war. At any cost. Provocations, misinformation and threats are a favorite method of solving their own problems.”
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments