Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Thursday that the decision to ban skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych from the Winter Olympics for refusing to ditch a helmet depicting victims of the war with Russia plays ¡°into the hands of aggressors.¡±

Gestures of a political nature during competition are forbidden under the Olympic charter.

The International Olympic Committee said Heraskevych had failed ¡°to adhere to the IOC athlete expression guidelines.¡±