00:00A figure skater, boxer and hockey player.
00:03Just some of the Ukrainian athletes killed as a result of Russia's invasion.
00:08There are over 20 who feature a Ukrainian skeleton racer, Vladislav Garosevich's helmet.
00:14The athlete promised to keep wearing it despite a ban from organisers during Olympic events.
00:19The International Olympic Committee says it violates their rules,
00:23specifically Rule 50, which prohibits political, racial or discriminatory propaganda.
00:29While Garosevich said he doesn't want to fight the IOC,
00:32he said he won't betray the athletes, even if the IOC will,
00:35and doesn't believe it breaks any rules.
00:38I truly believe that we are here today, we are able to enjoy sports and enjoy Olympics.
00:43It's also because of their sacrifice.
00:45And I believe they deserve to be here today with me,
00:48and also they deserve to be with me on a competition day.
00:52Yeah, plan is, I used it all trainings.
00:55So I used it at eight, I used it yesterday, I used it today.
00:58I will use it tomorrow and I will use it on a race day.
01:01The Ukrainian athlete said he had seen a Russian flag on a competitor's helmet,
01:05which is also supposed to be banned.
01:07He added that they didn't receive sanctions or penalties.
01:11Organisers said they had offered the skeleton racer to wear a black armband as a compromise,
01:15which they do not normally allow.
01:17It's fundamental that there are equal rights for all athletes,
01:24and that the games need to be separated, not just from political and religious,
01:28but from all types of interference, call it interference,
01:32so that all the athletes competing can concentrate on their performance.
01:41Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, also previously weighed in on the row,
01:46urging the IOC to allow the helmet.
01:48He thanked Gerasiewicz for reminding the world that the war is still ongoing.
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