'I'm proud of my son', says Heraskevych's dad while mum has 'cried all day'

VIDEO SHOWS: PRESS CONFERENCE SOUNDBITES FROM MYKHALIO HERASKEVYCH, FATHER OF UKRAINIAN SKELETON ATHLETE VLADYSLAV HERASKEVYCH WHO WAS BANNED FROM COMPETING AT OLYMPICS DUE TO HELMET SHOWS: MILAN, ITALY (FEBRUARY 12, 2026) (REUTERS – Access all)  1. UKRAINIAN SKELETON ATHLETE VLADYSLAV HERASKEVYCH WITH HELMET 2. (SOUNDBITE) (English) MYKHALIO HERASKEVYCH, FATHER AND COACH OF VLADYSLAV HERASKEVYCH,  SAYING:      "Vlad buy two tickets for tomorrow for final race for mum and for his girlfriend. And now we have these two tickets, and our girls, the best girls in the world, will not watch his successful. And they are crying of course, mum all day from morning crying. Yeah they called for her, sadly it is so powerful for us." 3. HELMET ON TABLE 4. NEWS CONFERENCE IN VIEWFINDER 5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) MYKHALIO HERASKEVYCH, FATHER AND COACH OF VLADYSLAV HERASKEVYCH,  ON WHY IT WAS IMPORTANT TO PAY TRIBUTE TO DEAD ATHLETES, SAYING:      "Maybe they have a dream, but not realise it, never because they dead. And of course we need to bring them and today there was comment in socials, mother of one athlete she was biathlon athlete. And she cried and said many times thank you Vlad for memory of my son because he lost the life and you're moving it is the best for our family. It was very important, much important than any medal."  6. WOMAN FILMING NEWS CONFERENCE 7. (SOUNDBITE) (English) MYKHALIO HERASKEVYCH, FATHER AND COACH OF VLADYSLAV HERASKEVYCH,  SAYING:     "But it was…I was proud because it was something awesome or something great for our people, for Ukraine." 8. NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS  9. (SOUNDBITE) (English) MYKHALIO HERASKEVYCH, FATHER AND COACH OF VLADYSLAV HERASKEVYCH,  SAYING:       "When was the last proposal from Miss Coventry I answer our memory is not for sale." 10. PAN AROUND FROM PHOTOGRAPHERS TO HERASKEVYCH ON TOP TABLE  STORY: The father of Vladyslav Heraskevych, the Ukrainian athlete disqualified from the Olympic skeleton competition on Thursday (February 12) over his "helmet of remembrance" has described the pride he feels for his son. Speaking at a news conference in Milan, Mykhalio Heraskevych said he had told International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry his country's memory of deceased athletes was 'not for sale'.  "I was proud because it was something awesome or something great for our people, for Ukraine," Heraskevych Snr added. He also said that Vladyslav's mother had spent the day in tears after learning what had happened to her son. The 27-year-old, who had been training in Italy with the helmet showing two dozen dead compatriots, was barred and initially told he would be stripped of his accreditation minutes before competition was due to start at the sliding venue. The IOC, however, later said Heraskevych was allowed to keep his credentials and stay at the Milano Cortina Games after President Kirsty Coventry asked its Disciplinary Commission to "reconsider the withdrawal" of the athlete's accreditation. Heraskevych's team said they would appeal the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport. (Production: Leonardo Benassatto, Iain Axon)

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