The Ukrainian, who was fourth in the World Championship in skeleton in March, is surprised that the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF) has revoked its previous decision to exclude riders from Russia and Belarus.
I do not understand this, says Vladyslav Heraskevytsj to the news agency AP.
Last month, an IBSF congress in Cortina d'Ampezzo - where the Olympic Games competitions will be held - made the decision that Russian and Belarusian riders will still be suspended, but on Monday it was revoked by the federation's appeals committee. A decision that opens up for athletes who meet the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) requirements for neutrality.
For us, the issue was settled at the congress in Cortina d'Ampezzo. It was a vote, a secret vote, and the results were quite clear. For me, it was a closed chapter, says Heraskevytsj.
He does not trust that any Russians on the Olympic starting line will really be neutral to the war in Ukraine.
If I am on a track with a Russian soldier, I do not feel safe. What if it is the same soldiers who are killing people in Ukraine right now? says Heraskevytsj.
It is still unclear what will happen. IBSF's executive committee is said to have held a meeting on Tuesday regarding the issue, but what may have been decided there is still unknown.
On Tuesday, the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (Fis) made the decision not to welcome back Russians and Belarusians.
Corrected version: In an earlier version, luge was also mentioned in the first sentence of the introduction.
In mid-September, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced that Russian and Belarusian athletes will be allowed to participate in the Winter Olympic Games in Milan and Cortina in February.
However, the IOC's policy is to let each individual federation decide the issue.
As during the Summer Olympic Games in Paris last year, participation is conditional for athletes from the countries that will be able to compete in Italy.
No Russian or Belarusian teams will be allowed to participate, and for individual athletes, it applies that they must compete under a neutral flag and with requirements for neutrality.
Athletes must not have actively supported the war in Ukraine or have ties to the Russian military. They must also meet certain requirements regarding doping tests.
