‘We can’t win this alone’: Ukraine’s flag bearer urges world not to forget war, hints at protest over IOC’s neutral policy

(CNN) — Ukraine’s Winter Olympics flag bearer Vladyslav Heraskevych says that his teammates could stage protests at the Milan Cortina Games over the decision to allow neutral athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete in Italy.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has cleared 13 Russian and 7 Belarusian athletes to participate as Individual Neutral Athletes (AINs) at the upcoming Games.

Their participation is based on following strict guidelines sent out by the Olympic body, which includes signing a Conditions of Participation form that “contains a commitment to respect the Olympic Charter, including ‘the peace mission of the Olympic Movement.’”

They must also prove they aren’t actively supporting the war in Ukraine.

“I don’t agree with these criteria, and I believe that many Ukrainian athletes do not agree with these criteria,” the 27-year-old skeleton slider told CNN Sports ahead of the Games.

“I know that we can have a risk of some suspensions or warnings from the IOC, (but) I believe it’s the right approach.

“If you need to fight for your truth, if you believe that it’s not right, you should stand with your opinion.”

Right to protest

Heraskevych made headlines around the world four years ago at the Beijing Games when he held up a “No War in Ukraine” banner to protest the impending Russian invasion. To this day, it’s a stand he doesn’t regret taking.

“It doesn’t prevent war from starting, but at least I try to pay some attention to Ukraine,” he says.

“We need this attention and we need it now. Ukraine cannot want this war alone.

“We need support from other countries, and we need people (to) understand the scale of war because it’s really, really huge scale of war and huge scale of victims.”

Last month, skeleton racers from Ukraine, Latvia and Sweden staged a demonstration against the admission of Russian athletes competing as neutrals at a European Cup event in Innsbruck, Austria.

The protest followed the decision by International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF) to grant neutral status to nine Russian athletes in their competitions in December. This coming despite bobsled and skeleton athletes from the country having originally been banned for three years following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

IOC’s neutral policy undermined

Although Heraskevych won’t be competing against Russian or Belarusian skeleton athletes at the 2026 edition of the Games, the Ukrainian says that allowing them to compete as neutrals despite links to occupied territories or expressions of support for the war undermines the principle of neutrality.

“It’s terrible because (we have) thousands of people being killed every day and with all of that, we are giving them permission to use this platform for their propaganda,” he says.

“It’s also a very sensitive topic because I already lost some colleagues,” he says with reference to the figure skater Dmytro Sharpar – with whom he competed at the 2016 Winter Youth Olympics in Lillehammer – who was killed in January 2023.

“He was killed in this war and we really like need to be in one arena with people who are supporting the killing of our friends?”

The Ukrainian – who’ll be competing at his third Winter Olympics – says he’s asked to speak directly to the IOC and has called for more “open conversations” regarding the selection criteria for neutral athletes.

He points to the example of the International Biathlon Union (IBU) – which has allowed Darya Dolidovich, a Belarusian-born biathlete who went to Poland with her family in 2022 as a refugee, to compete in World Cup races with the IBU’s refugee team – as a “much better” solution.

‘People get used to the war’

Heraskevych will have the honor of carrying his nation’s flag in Cortina d’Ampezzo during Friday’s opening ceremony, a role he says is “much more important than any Winter Olympics” given the “difficult times” his countrymen and women are experiencing back home.

“What is really scary for me is that people get used to the war,” he explains.

“It’s really terrible to see that people get used to the rockets above their heads. People get used to going to the funeral of their friends almost like every week and people get used to the shelling of their like neighbors and their houses.

“Despite the war, people try to get on with their lives, try to keep working … but of course, every area of life of Ukrainians are damaged by the war.”

He says medals and results are not everything and insists that it’ll be reminding the world about Ukraine that’ll be at the forefront of his mind.

The timing couldn’t be more pertinent with the second round of trilateral talks between Russia, Ukraine and the US taking place in Abu Dhabi this week in a bid to break the impasse and bring an end to the conflict.

“It’s a very important symbol when the Ukrainian flag is in the international stage and we’re able to be there among all the nations to show that we are still among the best nations in the world,” he says.

“For me, (the) important thing is to represent my country in the best possible way and bring some attention to my country … and to spread the truth of what’s going on in Ukraine.”

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