"In the 21st Century, This Is Not It" Ukrainian Player Raises Message High Toward Camera

On the 11th (local time), after completing the third run of the men's skeleton event at the National Sliding Center in Yanqing, Beijing, Ukrainian skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych (23) held up a piece of paper with the phrase "NO WAR IN UKRAINE" written on it to the broadcast camera.
[Photo by NBC]

[Asia Economy Reporter Sumi Hwang] Amid rising concerns over Russia's invasion of Ukraine, a message sent by a Ukrainian skeleton athlete who competed in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics has become a hot topic worldwide.

According to the Associated Press on the 12th (local time), Ukrainian skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych (23) held up a paper with the phrase "NO WAR IN UKRAINE" written on it to the broadcast camera after completing the third run of the men's skeleton event at the National Sliding Center in Yanqing, Beijing, the previous day. The background of the phrase was blue and yellow, the same colors as the Ukrainian flag.

After the competition, Heraskevych said in an interview, "This is my stance. Like any other ordinary person, I do not want war." He also raised his voice, saying, "I want peace for my homeland, peace for the world," and "For that, for peace, I will fight."

Recently, Russia has deployed more than 100,000 troops near Ukraine, raising speculation that Russia might invade Ukraine. The United States has repeatedly warned that a Russian invasion could happen at any time. Governments around the world are advising their citizens in Ukraine to evacuate.

Heraskevych said, "There is really a lot of tension in Ukraine right now," and added, "There is a lot of news related to guns, weapons, and troops around Ukraine, which is not okay." He continued, "This is not something that should happen in the 21st century," and explained, "So before the Olympics, I decided to show my stance to the world."

Some have criticized Heraskevych's actions, suggesting that they may have violated the International Olympic Committee (IOC)'s rule prohibiting political statements. According to Article 50 of the Olympic Charter, any kind of protest or political, religious, or racial propaganda is prohibited at the Olympic venues.

However, the IOC has stated that there is no problem. An IOC spokesperson told the Olympic media outlet Inside the Games, "It was a general call for peace," and "This matter is now closed."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.