The XXV Olympic Winter Games ended in Milan on February 22, and have already gone down in history not only for their sporting records, but also for their human stories – never before have athletes been so sincere and confident in their own values and beliefs. From issues of national memory and taboo topics to raising issues of mental resilience and moral responsibility – we recall four stories that attracted the attention of the whole world.
Sport as a manifesto of memory: skeleton athlete Vladyslav Geraskevych
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Skeletonist Vladyslav Geraskevych, who carried the country's flag at the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympics, paid tribute to the fallen Ukrainian athletes. At an official training session on February 9, he performed in a helmet with photos of our athletes who died as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The 27-year-old athlete called it a “memory helmet” and noted that some of them were his friends. This was the beginning of a major confrontation between him and the International Olympic Committee, which suspended the Ukrainian athlete on the day of the first start for intending to perform in a “memory helmet”. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) rejected Geraskevych's appeal, but the world – from politicians to Hollywood stars – supported the Ukrainian.
New Sincerity: Figure Skater Alice Liu
Viewers are used to seeing figure skating as a “pain factory.” American figure skater Alice Liu, who won the Olympic gold medal this year, shows that you can skate not for grades, but for your own pleasure. This is the “human face” of a sport that usually requires iron discipline. Just a year and a half ago, it was impossible to imagine Liu's success, because the girl suddenly ended her career at 16 and was gradually getting back in shape. The reason for her decision was constant fatigue, excessive pressure and the pursuit of super-complex spins. In an interview with The Guardian, she said: “I didn't care about competitions. I didn't care about programs. I just wanted to escape. I hated fame, social media. I didn't like interviews. I hated it all.” Alice took a two-year break from professional sports, entered university and traveled. During this time, Lew managed to rediscover her love for figure skating and achieve “gold” in an unconventional way: by taking care of herself.
Breaking taboos: ski jumper Agnes Reisch
The topic of menstruation in professional sports still remains in the shadows, although it affects the results of half of humanity. 26-year-old German ski jumper Agnes Reisch refused to do her third training jump the day before the start of the competition. She completed the previous two jumps. The reason was menstruation, and Reisch did not hide it. Other athletes and teammates supported Agnes and shared their own stories related to menstruation. However, there were more critics of the athlete. Agnes was accused of making excuses, and her frankness was called “shameful.”
Admitting a mistake: biathlete Sturla Legrade
Another viral moment of the 2026 Olympic Games was the unexpected confession of Norwegian biathlete Sturla Legrade. The Beijing 2022 Olympic champion and seven-time world champion won a bronze medal in the 20-kilometer individual race in Milan, but in front of television cameras he admitted that he had cheated on his girlfriend. The biathlete added that after his act he had experienced the “worst week” of his life. Opinions on social networks were divided – some thanked Legrade for his sincerity and reminded how important it is to be able to admit your mistakes, while others called such actions pure manipulation and suggested that his ex-girlfriend find a new boyfriend who would not cheat.