KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — The Ukrainian skeleton racer who was disqualified from the Milan Cortina Olympics was given a present of greater than $200,000 on Tuesday to assist him preserve competing and advocating for his nation.
Vladislav Heraskevych was barred from Olympic competition final week as a result of he insisted on sporting a “helmet of reminiscence” adorned with photos of greater than 20 Ukrainian athletes and coaches killed in the course of the nation’s conflict with Russia.
Ukrainian businessman Rinat Akhmetov — the proprietor of the Shakhtar Donetsk soccer membership and the Azovstal steel works in Mariupol — gave the cash to Heraskevych from his charity basis. The quantity is the same as what the nation’s Olympic gold medalists would get.
“Vlad Heraskevych was denied the chance to compete for victory on the Olympic Video games, but he returns to Ukraine a real winner,” Akhmetov stated in an announcement. “The respect and pleasure he has earned amongst Ukrainians by means of his actions are the best reward.
“On the similar time, I would like him to have sufficient power and sources to proceed his sporting profession, in addition to to battle for reality, freedom and the remembrance of those that gave their lives for Ukraine.”
The cash is ready to be paid to the 27-year-old Heraskevych’s charity basis “to make sure the athlete and his teaching workers have the mandatory sources to proceed their sporting profession and their advocacy for Ukraine on the worldwide stage,” an announcement on behalf of Akhmetov’s basis stated.
Shakhtar Donetsk recurrently performs within the Champions League regardless of being exiled from its house metropolis and the $400 million Donbas Enviornment since 2014, when the Russian-backed battle started in jap Ukraine.
AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics
