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Terms and conditions apply. * Savings buckets are a feature of Ally Bank's Savings Account. * No ATM fees from Ally Bank at Allpoint and Moneypass ATMs plus we reimburse for fees charged by other ATM owners nationwide up to $10 per statement cycle. * Early direct deposit offers eligible direct deposits up to two days sooner. * Spending buckets are a feature of Ally Bank's Spending Account. by [Connor Greene](https://time.com/author/connor-greene/) ## Connor Greene Editorial Fellow Updated: Feb 12, 2026 7:16 PM UTCPublished: Feb 11, 2026 11:57 PM UTC  Vladyslav Heraskevych of Team Ukraine participates during Men's Training Heat 5 on day five of the Milano Cortina Winter Olympic games at Cortina Sliding Centre in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, on Feb. 11, 2026. Vladyslav Heraskevych of Team Ukraine participates during Men's Training Heat 5 on day five of the Milano Cortina Winter Olympic games at Cortina Sliding Centre in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, on Feb. 11, 2026.Al Bello—Getty Images by [Connor Greene](https://time.com/author/connor-greene/) ## Connor Greene Editorial Fellow Updated: Feb 12, 2026 7:16 PM UTCPublished: Feb 11, 2026 11:57 PM UTC Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych has been disqualified from the Winter Olympics over his “helmet of remembrance” depicting athletes killed since Russia invaded his home country. Heraskevych, 27, had his accreditation revoked on Thursday morning, shortly before he was due to compete. “This is the price of our dignity,” the athlete [said](https://x.com/heraskevych/status/2021865169882620273) in response. His team plans to appeal the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) warned at a Wednesday press conference that there could be consequences if Heraskevych continued wearing his helmet. They argued that it violated the Olympic Charter’s [ban on political speech](https://time.com/7004580/olympics-protest-rules-neutrality-history/). “He can, and we would encourage him, to express his grief, but in the end let me be clear. It’s not the message, it’s the place that counts. There are 130 conflicts going on in the world. We cannot have 130 different conflicts featured, however terrible they are, during the field of play, during the actual competition,” said IOC spokesperson Mark Adams. **Read more:** [_Despite Protest Rules, the Olympics Have Never Been Neutral_](https://time.com/7004580/olympics-protest-rules-neutrality-history/) Heraskevych is so far the only athlete at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics who has run afoul of the IOC over the Olympic Charter’s Rule 50, which states that “no kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas.” But the Olympics have regularly been the site of protests and political messages, despite the committee’s efforts to impose restrictions, and a number of other athletes have used the international stage presented by this year’s Winter Games to make statements about political events or conflicts impacting their home countries. Here’s what to know about Rule 50—and the history of athletes speaking out at the Olympics. ## **What is the Olympic Charter's Rule 50?** Olympic officials have long sought to limit [political demonstrations and displays](https://time.com/7004580/olympics-protest-rules-neutrality-history/) at the Games.IOC restrictions on such protests date back more than seven decades, to the 1955 Olympic Charter, though their parameters—and athletes’ response to them—have changed with the intervening years. The basic framework of what is now known as Rule 50 was introduced in the 1975 charter, which stated that “every kind of demonstration or propaganda, whether political, religious or racial, in the Olympic areas is forbidden.” The language expanded the parameters of restricted demonstrations to include racial as well as political acts of protest in what was interpreted to be a response to Black athletes who used the 1968 and 1972 Games to promote messages of racial justice. The current Rule 50 [guidelines,](https://www.olympics.com/athlete365/app/uploads/2020/12/Rule-50-Guidelines-Tokyo-2020.pdf) developed by the IOC Athletes’ Commission, give a “non-exhaustive list” of actions that could constitute prohibited protests, such as displaying political messaging, including signs or armbands; “gestures of a political nature, like a hand gesture or kneeling”; and “refusal to follow the Ceremonies protocol.” The guidelines also specify venues at which protests and demonstrations are not permitted under Rule 50: on fields of play, in the Olympic village, and during medal ceremonies and the opening and closing ceremonies. They also stress, however, that “it should be noted that expressing views is different from protests and demonstrations,” and list some settings where athletes do “have the opportunity to express their opinions” during the Games. These notably include press conferences and interviews, in which many American athletes have spoken about the political situation in the U.S. during this year’s Winter Games. Athletes are also permitted to express their views on media platforms and at team meetings. The guidelines state that the rule applies to “everybody, not just the athletes,” including the head of state of the host country, who must abide by a specific script at the opening of the Games. Government officials are also barred from appearing at medal ceremonies. “It is a fundamental principle that sport is neutral and must be separate from political, religious or any other type of interference,” the guidelines read. “Specifically, the focus for the field of play and related ceremonies must be on celebrating athletes’ performance, and showcasing sport and its values.” Disciplinary action is taken on a “case-by-case” basis in instances in which athletes are found to violate Rule 50, per the guidelines. ## **Ukraine battled the IOC's helmet ban** Ukraine pushed back against the IOC’s decision to bar Heraskevych from wearing his remembrance helmet at the Winter Games. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky offered support for the skeleton racer in the days leading up to his disqualification. “I thank the flag bearer of our national team at the Winter Olympics, Vladyslav Heraskevych, for reminding the world of the price of our struggle. This truth cannot be inconvenient, inappropriate, or called a ‘political demonstration at a sporting event.’ It is a reminder to the entire world of what modern Russia is,” [said](https://x.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/2020973279947727320) Zelensky. Heraskevych’s fellow Ukrainian athletes also demonstrated their support. Earlier in the week, luger Olena Smaha held up her glove to [display the words](https://x.com/heraskevych/status/2021609441108373516) “remembrance is not a violation,” while skier Dmytro Shepiuk [displayed a small piece of paper](https://x.com/ukraine%5Fworld/status/2021584008698540054) bearing the words “UKR heroes with us.” Heraskevych himself repeatedly spoke about the helmet prior to the IOC's decision on Thursday morning. “The world must know the price of freedom,” he said in a [social media](https://www.instagram.com/p/DUjU4ttiIob/?hl=en) video on Monday. He has cited several symbolic displays and acts of commemoration by other athletes at the Winter Games that have not met with sanctions. He noted, for instance, that an Italian snowboarder wore a helmet bearing the Russian flag, among other countries,’ without facing reprimand from the IOC, despite Russian athletes having been barred from wearing the flag at the Olympics since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. In posts on his [X](https://x.com/heraskevych?lang=en) account, Heraskevych also pointed to the Israeli skeleton racer Jared Firestone, who posted a [video](https://www.instagram.com/p/DUa2PivjRGI/?hl=en) saying he would wear a kippah with the names of the Olympians who were taken hostage and killed during the 1972 Olympic Games in West Germany; U.S. skater Maxim Naumov, who lost his parents in a plane crash in Washington, D.C., last year and honored them by displaying a photograph after he competed on Tuesday; and Great Britain skier Gus Kenworthy, who posted a photo on Instagram with the words “f-ck ice” apparently urinated in the snow ahead of the Winter Games in reference to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). “If this isn’t discrimination, then what should I call it?” [said](https://x.com/heraskevych/status/2021633559950238020) Heraskevych, accusing the IOC of imposing “double standards.” When asked for comment on Wednesday, the IOC referred TIME to Adams’ press conference from earlier in the day. ## **U.S. athletes speak out** Press conferences are among the venues where Olympic athletes are permitted to express their political views under Rule 50\. And with the Milano Cortina Games occurring as President Donald Trump faces widespread outcry over his Administration’s aggressive immigration crackdown and foreign policy moves, several U.S. athletes have voiced concern about events unfolding back home during them. "The Olympics represent peace, so let's not only bring world peace but domestic peace within our country," halfpipe skier Alex Ferreira, who has taken home medals at past Winter Games, said at a press conference on Friday. Freestyle skier Svear Irving noted that "it's definitely a tough time in our country right now,” saying that she continues to represent her values of “compassion and love and respect for others.” But it was remarks made by another freestyle skier, Hunter Hess, that drew the ire of Trump and his allies. "I think it brings up mixed emotions to represent the U.S. right now," Hess said. "There's obviously a lot going on that I'm not the biggest fan of and I think a lot of people aren't. Just because I'm wearing the flag doesn't mean I represent everything that's going on in the U.S.” The President responded to Hess’ comments in a Truth Social [post](https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116035760619414211), calling him a “real Loser.” Republican Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida told Hess to “GO HOME” in an earlier [post](https://x.com/ByronDonalds/status/2020194247618519361) on X, saying that “some things are bigger than politics. You just don’t get it.” U.S. snowboarder Chloe Kim, whose parents emigrated from South Korea, showed support for Hess when asked about Trump’s targeted remarks on Monday. "Obviously my parents being immigrants, this one definitely hits pretty close to home,” said Kim, who won back-to-back gold medals in the snowboarding halfpipe at the 2018 and 2022 Winter Games. “I think in moments like these it is important for us to unite and stand up for one another. We need to lead with love and compassion, and I would love to see some more of that." Another snowboarder, Maddie Mastro, expressed similar sentiments at the same press conference, saying: “I’m also saddened about what’s happening at home. It’s really tough and I feel like we can’t turn a blind eye to that. At the same time I represent a country that has the same values as mine, kindness and compassion, and we come together in times of injustice.” Trump is not in attendance at the Winter Games, but Vice President JD Vance was present at the opening ceremony, where he was [greeted with a chorus of boos](https://time.com/7372884/jd-vance-booed-olympics-europe/). ICE has also been the subject of criticism and protests surrounding the Games: Several current and former Italian leaders expressed [outrage](https://time.com/7358275/ice-winter-olympics-2026-italy-leaders/) over the news that ICE agents would aid Olympic security operations, and thousands of demonstrators gathered in Milan on Saturday, the day after the opening ceremony, to protest the agency’s presence. The U.S. figure skater Amber Glenn, who is an outspoken advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, faced backlash after she said her community was facing “hard times” in the current political climate at a pre-Olympics press conference on Feb. 4. "It isn't the first time we've had to come together as a community to try to fight for our human rights. I hope that I can use my platform and my voice throughout these Games to try to encourage people to stay strong," Glenn said. She stated that she received “a scary amount” of hate on social media after her comments, including threats. ## **The history of political protest—and official reprimands—at the Games** Heraskevych is not the first athlete whose actions at the Olympics have been judged to violate Rule 50. In 2024, for instance, Manizha Talash, who was competing for the Refugee Olympic Team, was disqualified for wearing a cape with the words "free Afghan women" during a pre-qualifying breakdance competition. "I wanted to show people what is possible," Talash, originally from Kabul, told reporters. Other recent acts of protest at the Games have apparently not been met with official disciplinary action from Olympic officials, however. U.S. hammer thrower Gwen Berry raised her fist before the women’s final at the Tokyo 2020 Summer Games, later telling reporters she was protesting racial injustice. [Raven Saunders](https://time.com/6086632/us-olympic-protest-tokyo-rules/), a U.S. shot-putter who won silver in Tokyo, raised her arms and crossed them to form an X while standing on the medal podium, saying that the X was [meant to represent](https://apnews.com/article/2020-tokyo-olympics-track-and-field-raven-saunders-769bc8c5816d9a228463c530ff04e1b6) “the intersection of where all people who are oppressed meet.” “Protest on a podium … it is a human right,” Berry said in a TIME100 Talks interview. “It is not for the IOC to decide.” **Read more:** [_A History of Political Protest at the Olympics_](https://time.com/7005819/political-protest-olympics-history/) [Acts of political protest](https://time.com/7005819/political-protest-olympics-history/) at the Summer and Winter Games have a long history—as do official reprimands to those displays. One of the most famous examples of a political statement made at the Olympics came during the 1968 Mexico City Games, when U.S. track and field athletes John Carlos and Tommie Smith raised their gloved hands in the Black power salute after the 200-meter race. They were suspended from the Games and banned from the Olympic village. Four years later, U.S. runners Vincent Matthews and Wayne Collett refused to attend the medal ceremony for their wins in the 400-meter race at the 1972 Games, and were banned from further competition. Earlier still, before language restricting political speech was included in the Olympic Charter, there were overt efforts by countries to use the international platform as a means to political ends. During the 1936 [Games in Berlin](https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/the-nazi-olympics-berlin-1936), the Nazis use the Olympics to promote racial superiority and the Hitler regime’s world power. Athletes and Jewish and African American organizations pushed for a boycott of the event, but the efforts were ultimately unsuccessful. 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