The reason for the suspension was the athlete's intention to perform in a special memorial helmet featuring portraits of more than 20 Ukrainian athletes who died since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion. An appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), submitted under an expedited procedure, was rejected on February 13.
Klitschko called the incident 'another proof' that the modern Olympic Games have turned into a political and commercial spectacle:
'For Russian and Belarusian athletes, the main thing is not winning but participation. And for Ukrainian athletes who died defending the country, even honoring their memory was prohibited. The IOC loudly declares that this is not politics, but sports. But in reality, these are long since not the Olympic Games, but a political game under the guise of neutrality. They do not protect principles — they protect their own image and television picture. The faces of Ukrainian athletes who gave their lives for freedom turned out to be 'too political' for them.'
Klitschko, whose 1996 Olympic gold medal in Atlanta had long been a source of national pride, expressed an unexpected and bitter feeling:
'When I think about my Olympic gold medal today, I no longer feel pride. I feel shame. The IOC wants the show to go on at all costs. And I'm here to say what they prefer not to hear: the violence and killings must finally stop.'