As the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics continue in Italy, people are asking why Russia was banned from the winter Games.

The Ukrainian luge team emotionally protested the disqualification of their compatriot, skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych, following their run at the Winter Olympics on Thursday.

With just over 90 minutes until the first run, Heraskevych again made it clear that he intends to wear a helmet with the faces of 24 athletes who have been killed since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.