Kirsty Coventry Under Fire After Ukrainian Athlete Disqualified Over Helmet Message

• IOC President Kirsty Coventry faces backlash after Ukrainian athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych was disqualified.
• Heraskevych was barred from competing at Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics for refusing to remove a helmet with images of killed Ukrainian sportsmen.
• The helmet was deemed a breach of Rule 50 of the Olympic Charter, which prohibits "political propaganda" at competition venues.
• Coventry personally tried to persuade Heraskevych not to wear the helmet, citing the need for a "safe environment" on the field of play.
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused the IOC of aiding aggressors, and an appeal has been lodged with the Court of Arbitration for Sport.