Ukrainian athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych, who represented Ukraine in skeleton at the 2026 Winter Olympics. (Credit: Ombudsman of Ukraine Dmytro Lubinets) The 2026 Winter Olympics and upcoming Milano Cortina Paralympics have revealed how fragile and contested the idea of political neutrality in sport has become.  While the games are meant to celebrate athletic excellence, global conflicts, geopolitical debates and media scrutiny are increasingly shaping both competition and per