The 27-year-old athlete was barred from competing at the Milano Cortina Winter Games after the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation ruled that imagery on his helmet breached rules on athletes' expression at the Games. The helmet, dubbed the 'helmet of memory,' depicted Ukrainian athletes who have died since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.
The donation from Shakhtar Donetsk's owner equals the prize money that Ukraine pays to its gold medallists, highlighting the club's support for athletes who stand up for national symbols during the ongoing conflict.