As athletes we try to focus on our event and the task at hand, but our lives do not take place in a vacuum

I’m deeply saddened by the IOC banning the skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych from the Winter Olympics. His helmet depicting images of athletes and children who died in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, some who he knew personally, was a human display of remembrance. The IOC’s response was not an appropriate one.

One only needed to look at the image of Heraskevych’s father when he was told the news of his son’s disqualification – doubled over with his head in his hands – to know the emotional toll. I cannot imagine what they are experiencing but, as both a former athlete and just a fan watching on, I also feel emotional about it and cried when Vlad and his dad messaged me on social media to say thank you for my messages of support.