sports

Ukrainian Athlete Receives $200k After Olympic Disqualification

Ukrainian skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevytsj received a donation of nearly 2 million Norwegian kroner from football club owner Rinat Akhmetov after being disqualified from the Olympics.

The 200,000 USD donation equals the gold medal prize money for Ukrainian athletes. Heraskevytsj was disqualified for wearing a helmet with images of deceased Ukrainian sports heroes during the skeleton competition. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) deemed it a rule violation.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj and Heraskevytsj have criticized the IOC, with the athlete recently accusing the committee of "facilitating Russian propaganda."