Disqualified Ukrainian skeleton racer expresses gratitude to Latvia for support at Olympics

RIGA - Vladyslav Heraskevych, the Ukrainian skeleton athlete disqualified at the Olympic Games in Italy, has expressed his gratitude to Latvia for its support at the Olympics.

Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braze (New Unity), who is attending the Munich Security Conference, told LETA that she had attended a dinner with the Ukrainian skeleton athlete and his father and expressed her gratitude to Latvia for both the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) decision and the opportunities to train in Latvia.

"He sends his greetings and thanks for the support both in the Olympics and in everyday life," the Foreign Ministry quoted Braze as saying.

The Olympic skeleton competition in Italy has been overshadowed by the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) disqualification of Ukrainian athlete Heraskevych under unclear circumstances. The disqualification follows the decision of the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF) Olympic Jury that his decision to wear a helmet in memory of the slain athletes was "contrary to the Olympic Charter and the Athletes' Expression Guidelines".