Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy awarded the highest state award to the Ukrainian skeleton representative Vladislav Heraskevich (27), who was disqualified from the Olympic Games after he did not want to give up his performance with a “memory helmet” in honor of Ukrainian athletes killed in the war with Russia.
The honor was awarded to a member of the Ukrainian Olympic team for “selfless service to the Ukrainian peoplecivil courage and patriotism in defense of the ideals of freedom and democratic values”.
Order of Liberty is one of the highest state awards of Ukraine, which recognizes citizens for outstanding service to the country.
Zelenskiy honored Heraskevich, praising his stance in the dispute with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) over a helmet in honor of athletes killed in the Russian invasion.
⚡️Zelensky awarded the Order of Freedom to Ukrainian skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heaskevich.
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The Ukrainian president and Heraskevich met on the sidelines of the annual Munich Security Conference.
Medals are important for Ukraine and for you, but it seems to me that the most important thing is who you aresaid Zelenski while presenting the Order to Heraskevich.
Thank you for your attitude, your strength and your couragesaid the Ukrainian president.
Remembrance is not a violation.
I met with Ukrainian skeleton racer and member of Ukraine’s National Olympic Team, Vladyslav Heraskevych, and his father, coach of Ukraine’s skeleton team, Mykhailo Heraskevych. I presented Vladyslav with the Order of Freedom.
Ukraine will always… pic.twitter.com/YdPBOQNFin
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Volodymyr Zelenskyi (@ZelenskyyUa) February 13, 2026
Heraskevich told the president how he was this prize is huge and that the athletes depicted on the helmet deserve it even more.
Because of their sacrifice, we can compete in the Olympicshe said.
It’s Heraskevich disqualified on Thursday when a jury of the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation ruled that the depiction of athletes killed by the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 violated rules on political neutrality.
The Ukrainians appealed, but the Court of Arbitration for Sport rejected the appeal on Friday.
This scandal is united people all over the world about our problem and about the sacrifice of these great athletes, and I believe that this goal is much more important than any medal, he told reporters.
The whole case started on Monday when the Ukrainian national team player showed up at training wearing a helmet with pictures of his murdered compatriots. The IOC told him that he would not be allowed to perform officially with that helmet.
The IOC offered him the option of wearing a black armband instead of a helmet, but Heraskevic did not want to give up and it all ended with his disqualification.
(Hina | Photo: X)
