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Ukraine’s Heraskevych Secures About €200,000 in Support After CAS Upholds Olympic Ban

The skeleton racer returned to Kyiv after losing his appeal, using new backing to advance commemoration of fallen athletes.

Overview

  • Rinat Akhmetov pledged roughly €200,000 to Heraskevych’s foundation, an amount matching Ukraine’s Olympic gold bonus, with additional corporate gifts reported at about €60,000.
  • CAS upheld the decision that barred him from competing with a helmet depicting more than 20 athletes and coaches killed since Russia’s 2022 invasion, affirming field‑of‑play neutrality rules.
  • Heraskevych has arrived back in Kyiv, describing energy and heating disruptions, and says he will launch a fundraiser for families of the athletes portrayed on his helmet.
  • The IOC had proposed compromises that included a plain black armband and displaying the helmet only before or after runs, offers he rejected.
  • President Volodymyr Zelenskyy honored him with the Order of Freedom in Munich, while Heraskevych continued to criticize what he calls inconsistent rule enforcement.