Ukrainian trains in helmet honoring fellow athletes killed in war. IOC says it's banned for race

CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych said Tuesday he still wants to compete at the Milan Cortina Games wearing a helmet that commemorates athletes from his country who were killed in the war with Russia, even though the International Olympic Committee said it cannot be used.

The IOC offered Heraskevych a chance to compete while wearing a black armband instead, calling it a compromise. The IOC said the helmet — emblazoned with images of more than 20 athletes and coaches who have been killed since the Russian invasion in 2022 — violates Olympic rule on political statements.

Heraskevych said he doesn't plan to wear the armband.

“We will continue to fight for the right to compete in this helmet,” Heraskevych said after his two training runs on Tuesday. “I truly believe that we didn't violate any law and any rules.”

He plans to wear the helmet again for the final training runs Wednesday in advance of Thursday's start of the two-day, four-heat Olympic race.

The IOC wrote to the Ukrainian Olympic Committee that it “was a fundamental principle" that the Games have to be separate from "political, religious and any other type of interference." Ukraine's Olympic committee said the helmet, it believes, is fully compliant with IOC rules since it “does not carry any political slogans, and does not express any racial discrimination.”

“What we’ve tried to do is to address his desires with compassion and understanding,” IOC spokesman Mark Adams said Tuesday. “He has expressed himself on social media and in the training and, as you know, we will not stop him expressing himself in press conferences, as he leaves competition in the mixed zone and elsewhere. We feel that this is a good compromise in the situation.”

Heraskevych can evidently train in the helmet without risk of IOC sanctioning. The IOC told the Ukrainians that Heraskevych would not be able to “compete” in the personalized helmet. It says the matter falls under Rule 50 of the Olympic Charter, which in part states that “no kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas.”

Heraskevych was fourth at last year's world championships and is generally considered a Games medal hopeful. He is popular among other sliders on the skeleton tour and has gotten support from many of them, not just in this instance but since the war began.

“Any type of war or conflict is wrong," said Britain's Matt Weston, the reigning world champion and overwhelming gold-medal favorite. “There's ways we can always go about things without that. To be honest, I don't really want to comment too much on that. It's super sad that we're in the situation, having to talk about it.”

The IOC noted it has banned armbands in the past but is willing to make an exception in Heraskevych's case. The move by the IOC doesn't mean all athletes can wear armbands, and if Heraskevych chooses to do so, it cannot include any text, Adams said.

“We don’t want everyone wearing a black armband for every competition," Adams said. "But where there’s a good reasoning it will be considered properly.”

Heraskevych said he has seen Russian flags — which were supposed to be banned at these Games — in the stands at some events and wonders why they are allowed by the IOC.

“I cannot understand how this helmet hurt anyone. It’s to pay tribute to athletes and some of them were medalists in the Youth Olympic Games,” Heraskevych told The Associated Press on Monday before Ukrainian sliding officials met with an IOC representative and learned the helmet would not be allowed. “That means they’re Olympic family. They were part of this Olympic family, so I cannot understand they would find a reason why not.”

Faces on the helmet include figure skater Dmytro Sharpar, a onetime Youth Olympic Games teammate of Heraskevych, boxer Pavlo Ishchenko, and hockey player Oleksiy Loginov. Some, Heraskevych said, were killed on the front lines; at least one died while trying to distribute aid to fellow Ukrainians. The Ukrainian sports outlet Tribuna published a list of 22 victims who are memorialized on the helmet, with the youngest victim being a 9-year-old.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy weighed in on Heraskevych’s quest, with a post on his Instagram page saying he wanted to thank the slider for “reminding the world the price of our struggle.”

“It's very nice to have such big support,” Heraskevych said.

Heraskevych, a flag bearer for Ukraine at last week’s opening ceremony, displayed a sign after his fourth and final run of the 2022 Beijing Olympics saying “No War in Ukraine.” Days after those Games ended, Russia invaded his country and the war has continued since.

AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

Ukraine's Vladyslav Heraskevych arrives at the finish during a men's skeleton training session at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Ukraine's Vladyslav Heraskevych arrives at the finish during a men's skeleton training session at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Ukraine's Vladyslav Heraskevych arrives at the finish during a men's skeleton training session at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

Ukraine's Vladyslav Heraskevych starts a men's skeleton training session at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Ukraine's Vladyslav Heraskevych starts a men's skeleton training session at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

MILAN (AP) — Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso left his role by mutual consent on Friday, three days after the national team failed to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup.

The Italian soccer federation announced the news in a statement thanking Gattuso “for the dedication and passion” during his nine months in charge.

Italy’s chances of reaching this year’s tournament in North America ended on Tuesday after a penalty shootout loss to Bosnia and Herzegovina in a qualifying playoff.

“With pain in my heart, not having achieved the goal we had set ourselves, I consider my experience on the national team bench to be over,” Gattuso said.

Gattuso’s departure comes a day after Italy’s soccer federation president Gabriele Gravina resigned along with Gianluigi Buffon, who was the national team’s delegation chief.

The defeat to Bosnia added more misery for four-time champion Italy after being eliminated by Sweden and North Macedonia, respectively, in the qualifying playoffs for the last two World Cups.

Gattuso took over from the fired Luciano Spalletti in June with the squad already in crisis mode following a defeat at Norway in its opening qualifier.

Spalletti had also overseen a disappointing European Championship campaign in 2024, when titleholder Italy was knocked out in the round of 16 by Switzerland.

“I would like to thank Gattuso once again," Gravina said. "Because, in addition to being a special person, as a coach he has offered a valuable contribution, managing to bring enthusiasm back to the national team in just a few months.

“He has conveyed great pride in the national team jersey to the players and to the whole country.”

Under Gattuso, Italy went on a six-match winning streak before another loss to Norway in November to finish second in their group and end up in the playoffs again.

Gattuso had been given a contract until the end of this summer’s World Cup, with an automatic renewal until 2028 if Italy returned to soccer's biggest stage.

“The Azzurri shirt is the most precious asset that exists in soccer, which is why it is right to immediately facilitate future coaching staff decisions,” Gattuso said.

“It was an honor to be able to lead the national team and do so also with a group of boys who have shown commitment and attachment to the shirt. The biggest thanks go to the fans, to all the Italians who have never failed to show their love and support for the national team in recent months.”

Among those being mentioned to replace Gattuso are Roberto Mancini, Simone Inzaghi, Antonio Conte and Massimiliano Allegri.

Mancini coached Italy to the European Championship title in 2021 then failed to get the Azzurri to the next year’s World Cup before bolting to take over Saudi Arabia’s national team. He left that role in October 2024 and is currently coach at Al-Sadd in Qatar.

Inzaghi steered Inter Milan to the Serie A title in 2024 and now manages Saudi club Al-Hilal.

Conte coached Italy at the 2016 European Championship and is currently at Napoli.

Allegri is coach at AC Milan.

Italy will play two friendly matches in June but is unlikely to have a new coach by then, given that the election for a new FIGC president won't take place until June 22.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso greets Federico Dimarco during the World Cup qualifying playoff final soccer match between Bosnia and Italy in Zenica, Bosnia, Tuesday, March 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Armin Durgut)

Italy's coach Gennaro Gattuso directs his team during the World Cup qualifying playoff final soccer match between Bosnia and Italy in Zenica, Bosnia, Tuesday, March 31, 2026. (Fabio Ferrari/LaPresse via AP)

Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso gestures from the touchline during the World Cup qualifying playoff final soccer match between Bosnia and Italy in Zenica, Bosnia, Tuesday, March 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Armin Durgut)

Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso gestures from the touchline during the World Cup qualifying playoff final soccer match between Bosnia and Italy in Zenica, Bosnia, Tuesday, March 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Armin Durgut)

Italy's coach Gennaro Gattuso walks off the pitch after losing in a World Cup qualifying playoff final soccer match between Bosnia and Italy in Zenica, Bosnia, Tuesday, March 31, 2026. (Fabio Ferrari/LaPresse via AP)