A Ukrainian athlete displayed a “no struggle in Ukraine” signal after completing a run within the males’s skeleton festival on Friday.
Vladyslav Heraskevych, 23, who was once amongst 25 sliders within the tournament, held up a work of paper with the message written in capital letters over the blue and yellow of the Ukrainian flag.
“It’s my place,” Heraskevych told The Associated Press after his festival. “Like all customary other people, I don’t need struggle.”
He added: “I need peace in my nation, and I need peace on this planet. It’s my place, so I struggle for that. I struggle for peace.”
Heraskevych’s observation comes as tensions mount between Russia and Ukraine. For weeks, greater than 100,000 Russian troops and a gradual circulate of cars and kit had been stationed close to the border with Ukraine. U.S. and NATO officers have mentioned that President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia seems to be getting ready for a large-scale invasion, which might lead to catastrophic human costs. Russia continues to insist that every one troop and kit actions are for strange workout routines.
“In Ukraine, it’s in reality fearful now,” Heraskevych instructed the A.P. “Numerous information about weapons, about guns, what’s to return in Ukraine, about some armies round Ukraine. It’s now not OK, now not within the twenty first century. So I made up our minds, earlier than the Olympics, that I might display my place to the sector.”
Protests at the Olympics are a thorny factor. Rule 50 of the Olympic Charter prohibits athletes or different contributors from demonstrating or exhibiting “political, spiritual or racial propaganda” at occasions. However that rule was once just lately at ease to permit athletes to precise their perspectives in Olympic villages and atmosphere and on social media websites — however not during competitions or medal ceremonies.
It’s unclear whether or not the I.O.C. will penalize Heraskevych, who positioned 18th within the finals. He mentioned he was hoping Olympic officers would improve him.
“No person desires struggle,” Heraskevych mentioned.
#Ukrainian #Athlete #Protests #Skeleton #Pageant
