IOC Enforces Speech Limits on Athletes: A Sobering Lesson in Overreach Ahead of 2028 LA Games

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) recently secured a controversial victory, reaffirming its stringent restrictions on athlete speech and expression just two years ahead of the Los Angeles Summer Games. Vladyslav Heraskevych, a Ukrainian skeleton racer and medal hopeful at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, was disqualified for attempting to honor his fallen compatriots by wearing a “helmet of memory” emblazoned with portraits of more than 20 Ukrainian athletes and coaches killed amid Russia’s ongoing war. In an era when many Americans cherish liberty and national pride, this ruling spotlights how supranational bodies like the IOC prioritize controlling narratives over honoring...