CORTINA D'AMPEZZO /Italy/, February 12. /TASS/. Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladislav Geraskevich has been barred from participating in the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Italy for wearing a prohibited helmet, the press office of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced in a statement on Thursday.

According to the statement, the IOC "has therefore decided with regret to withdraw his accreditation for the Milano Cortina 2026 Games."

"The decision followed his refusal to comply with the IOC’s Guidelines on Athlete Expression," the statement reads. "Despite multiple exchanges and in-person meetings between the IOC and Mr Geraskevich, the last one this morning with IOC President Kirsty Coventry, he did not consider any form of compromise."

Earlier in the week, the IOC prohibited Geraskevich from wearing the controversial helmet at the 2026 Games because it violates the Olympic Charter. However, the athlete wore it again for the final test runs before the start of the competitions.

After that, the IOC representatives held a second meeting with the skeleton racer, and he declared that he intended to race wearing this helmet.

Geraskevich, 27, has never medaled in international competition. The Ukrainian athlete finished fourth at the 2025 IBSF World Championships; on two occasions he also finished in 4th place at the IBSF World Cup stages, and his best result at the Bobsleigh and Skeleton European Championships was 8th place, which he accomplished earlier this year.

The Olympic Games’ career record of the Ukrainian athlete lists him as finishing 12th at the 2018 Winter Games and 19th at the 2022 Winter Games. Geraskevich was the Ukrainian national team’s flagbearer at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games Opening Ceremony.

The 2026 Winter Olympic Games are taking place in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, from February 6-22, 2026.