Hi to all!
I planned to write about something completely different today. But this whole situation surrounding the Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games and the International Olympic Committee once again forces us to think whether there are still any moral values in the world. Not at the level of empty declarations, but real actions worthy of respect?
As the Russian-Ukrainian war shows (which has been going on for 4 years, and during this period of time, it would seem possible to decide what is white and what is black), frank cynicism in the world is gaining more and more momentum and is becoming a new trend. The 50 shades of gray is much more attractive, because they can be interpreted in different ways, like, say, the rule of 50 from the International Olympic Committee (I.O.C.).
Tribute helmet by Ukrainian illustrator Oleksiy Kustovsky
Is it possible to be neutral to reality? Because of the murders, tortures, and genocide in general that Russia is currently committing in Ukraine? Do you agree to be tolerant of all this? Because the definition of "out of politics" is very convenient for justifying crimes, isn't it? What's so bad about wanting to remember our fallen in the Russian-Ukrainian war athletes and talk about them to the world in an unobtrusive way? Could we soon be banned from raising our flag and playing our national anthem as a sign of victory in sports competitions?
And about the remembrance.
I.O.C. by Ukrainian illustrator George Klyuchnyk
Is there anywhere else in the world, like in Ukraine, where a soldier who died in the war is carried on a shield, people in the cities and villages kneel, all traffic stops to pay respect to those who died so that we can live on our land? A minute of silence and a minute of remembrance, so verbose and sincere. It is about values, about dignity, about humanity in action. That is why we are against the shameful restrictions of the IOC.
A tribute helmet to fallen colleagues is politics. The presence of Russians and signs of support for them at the Olympics is not politics. Remember and do not confuse. Double standards.
Ukrainian skeletonist Vladyslav Heraskevych
Ukrainian skeletonist Vladyslav Heraskevych, despite being disqualified for the tribute helmet, has already become the Champion of Ukrainian hearts and of all conscious people who still have dignity and appreciate the truth.