The Ukrainian skeleton racer who was disqualified from the Milan Cortina Olympics was given a gift of more than $200,000 on Tuesday to help him keep competing and advocating for his country.

Heraskevych will no longer compete in Milan after the IOC announced his disqualification.

Ukrainian skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych is allowed to wear a black armband at the Milan Cortina Olympics but the IOC says he cannot wear a helmet painted to honor Ukrainian athletes killed in the war with Russia.

Ukraine is sending a 103-member Olympic delegation to the Milan Cortina Olympics, including skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych. Photo courtesy of Vladyslav Heraskevych At 5 a.m. in Kyiv, the city is still wrapped in darkness.

Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych tells CNN he will defy the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and wear his helmet featuring images of athletes killed during the war in Ukraine.

Ukraine’s sports minister has decried a potential softening of restrictions against Russian athletes where they might ultimately be able to compete in the future under their national flag rather than as “Individual Neutral Athletes.