At the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, a Ukrainian athlete faces potential disciplinary action for wearing a helmet commemorating athletes killed in the war with Russia, while U.S. ice dancers Madison Chock and Evan Bates secured a silver medal in a stunning upset. The Games, however, are also facing a backdrop of controversy, including potential political speech restrictions and athlete scandals, according to reports from multiple news outlets.
Skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych, who served as Ukraine's flag-bearer during the opening ceremony, has been wearing a helmet honoring fallen athletes. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has ruled this a violation of the Olympic Charter's ban on political speech. The IOC warned of consequences if Heraskevych continues to wear the helmet, stating, "He can, and we would encourage him, to express his grief, but in the end let me be clear. Its not the message, its the place that counts," according to Time.
Meanwhile, in ice dancing, Chock and Bates, four-time Olympians, earned their first individual Olympic medal, taking silver after a competitive performance against their French rivals. They were heavily favored for gold, but lost by just over a point, NPR Politics reported.
Beyond the sporting events, the Games have also been marked by off-field drama. Vox reported on "weird scandals" involving athletes, threatening to overshadow the sports themselves.
In other news, 22-year-old Olympic skier Eileen Gu, a Stanford University student, continues to balance her athletic career with her studies. Gu, who has amassed four Olympic medals, earned $23.1 million last year, making her the fourth-highest-paid woman in sports, according to Forbes. Gu told Time, "Its important to show young people that you dont have to wait until youre older. You can do it all now."
The Games are taking place against a backdrop of wider societal concerns. Vox also reported on the growing threat of AI to white-collar jobs, noting that an "exponential process is in motion" that will "inevitably shake the world to its core."
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