mark ball

Which is better? (Please also answer poll in next tweet.)

Crosby, Morrissey & Kuemper are officially Canada's scratches

The third Ukrainian athlete, short track speed skater Oleg Handey, has been banned from using his helmet during the 2026 Olympics: “I have a quote from Lina Kostenko written on my helmet: ‘Where there is heroism, there is no final defeat.’ IOC banned it, saying it’s a political slogan, that it’s about the war, and it’s not allowed. I translated it word for word for them — no, they said, it’s a political slogan. For me, it’s just motivational words for myself, my team, and my country.”

🚨 IOC statement 2/3 Mr Heraskevych was able to display his helmet in all training runs. The IOC also offered him the option of displaying it immediately after the competition when going through the mixed zone. Mourning is not expressed and perceived in the same way everywhere in the world. In order to support athletes in their mourning, the IOC has put in place multifaith centres in the Olympic Villages and a place of mourning, so that grief can be expressed with dignity and respect. There is also the possibility to wear a black armband during competition under certain circumstances. During the Olympic Games athletes are also offered a number of opportunities to mourn and express their views, including in the media mixed zones, on social media, during press conferences and in interviews. The Guidelines on Athlete Expression were the result of a global consultation in 2021 with 3,500 athletes from all around the world. They have the full support of the IOC Athletes’ Commission and Athletes’ Commissions from International Federations and National Olympic Committees. Mr Heraskevych has been supported by the IOC for the last three editions of the Olympic Winter Games. Each time he was an Olympic scholarship holder. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the IOC also set up a solidarity fund for Ukrainian sport to support the athletes’ preparations for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.