Ukrainian skeleton racer and Olympian Vladyslav Heraskevych is actively lobbying U.S. lawmakers and the State Department to deny visas to Russian athletes wishing to compete under the Russian flag at the 2028 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles. During his visit to Washington, Heraskevych argued that Moscow uses sports as an instrument for war propaganda and to legitimize its occupation of Ukrainian territories. He emphasized that governments control territorial access and can enforce restrictions even if international sports bodies, such as the International Olympic Committee, lift bans or restore the status of the Russian Olympic Committee.
Heraskevych pointed out that Russian athletes have frequently participated in political events, supported Vladimir Putin’s administration, and engaged in activities connected to the war effort against Ukraine, including events linked to Ukrainian children forcibly taken to Russia. He cited recent European precedents where Russian athletes were successfully denied visas after presenting evidence of supporting the Russian military or displaying pro-Kremlin symbols, noting that similar visa bans by the United States could prevent international sports events from being exploited for propaganda.
