The International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Tuesday said Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych could wear a black armband at the Winter Olympics instead of a banned helmet that features Ukrainians killed in the war with Russia. Spokesperson Mark Adams said the helmet contravened IOC guidelines about political symbols but said it would “make an exception to the guidelines to allow him to wear a black armband during competition to make that commemoration”. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had earlier defended the Olympian’s right to wear a helmet featuring athletes killed during the war with Russia, thanking him in a post on X. “I thank the flag bearer of our national team at the Winter Olympics, Vladyslav Heraskevych, for reminding the world of the price of our struggle,” Zelensky said on X. “This truth cannot be inconvenient, inappropriate or called a ‘political demonstration at a sporting event.’ It is a reminder to the entire world of what modern Russia is,” the president added. WatchProtests rock Milan over economic and environmental cost of Winter Olympics Heraskevych wore the helmet …