As Ukrainian athletes prepare for the 2026 Winter Olympics, they will seek to boost the morale of their compatriots in Ukraine amid an ongoing war and a brutal winter.

The Ukrainian Olympic athlete Vladislav Heraskevych displays the memorial helmet that resulted in his ban.

Ukrainian skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych will not competeafter refusing a last-minute plea from the IOC to use a helmet other than the one that honors more than 20 of his country's athletes and coaches killed in the war with Russia.

MILAN (AP) — Ukrainian figure skater Kyrylo Marsak wrapped up his Olympics with a disappointing men's free skate Friday night, then had to endure waiting for his score while Russian athlete Petr Gumennik sat in the leader's chair about 10 feet away from him.

A Ukrainian athlete has been disqualified from the Winter Olympics over his insistence on wearing a helmet honoring people killed in his country's war with Russia

Winter Olympic ban of war victim helmet a win for Russian propaganda, says Ukrainian skeleton star - Heraskevych was disqualified for insisting on wearing the helmet, despite meeting with IOC presiden

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is not happy with the International Olympics Committee. A Ukrainian athlete has been barred from competing due to a "controversial" helmet. The athlete was disqualified for wearing a helmet to honor victims in the war with Russia.

IOC disqualifies Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych for helmet honoring war dead, sparking criticism from President Zelenskyy.

The International Olympic Committee said that the helmet wouldn’t be allowed in competition, citing a rule against making political statements