A member of Ukraine’s men’s Olympic skeleton team flashed a sign reading “NO WAR IN UKRAINE” after completing his third run at the Beijing Games, but has avoided any penalty after officials ruled the move did not violate rules prohibiting political protests.
Vladyslav Heraskevych, 23, flashed the small sign in the blue and yellow colors of the Ukrainian flag to cameras on February 11 in a gesture referring to the tense situation on Ukraine's border with Russia.
"It's my position, like any normal people I don't want war. I want peace in my country, and I want peace in the world, so nobody wants it. That's my position, I fight for that, I fight for peace," he told reporters.
"At home in Ukraine it's really nervous now, a lot of news about guns, about weapons, about some armies around Ukraine so it's not OK. Not in the 21st century.
“Before it all starts, I wanted to show my position to the world."
Russia has massed more than 100,000 troops near Ukraine, stoking fears that Moscow is planning an invasion. Russia insists it has no such designs but at the same time has demanded that the West agree to several security guarantees, including that Ukraine and other former Soviet countries never be allowed to join NATO.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) Rule 50 originally prohibited athletes from any form of political protest at the Games.
A revision ahead of the Tokyo Summer Olympics in 2021 opened some space for competitors to express political views, though they are still banned on the podium during medals ceremonies.
The IOC said that, given the rules, there would be no repercussions for Heraskevych.
“We have spoken with the athlete. This was a general call for peace,” the IOC said in a statement. “For the IOC the matter is closed.”
Heraskevych, who was not a medal contender, said earlier he was not concerned about any possible repercussions.
He said he hoped Olympic organizers would support him because he said he believes the Olympics “also fights for peace, for united countries not for wars.”
