Ukrainian Olympic hero killed in action fighting Putin’s invasion force

Former Olympic weightlifter Oleksandr Pielieshenko has died in Ukraine, having joined his country’s fight against the Russian invasion force.

Per The Guardian, Pielieshenko died on Monday 6th May 2024, aged 30.

Pielieshenko was the first Olympian to die in the conflict following Russia’s invasion in 2022.

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Following the invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces, Pielieshenko almost immediately decided to join his country’s military, according to The Guardian.

The National Olympic Committee of Ukraine released a statement on their Telegram channel announcing Pielieshenko’s death, writing, “From the first days of the full-scale invasion, Oleksandr joined the ranks of the Armed Forces. Yesterday we received the sad news of his death.”

2016 saw Pielieshenko win the European title in the 85kg category, per The Sun. He successfully defended his title a year later.

Pielieshenko was one of the favourites during the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Unfortunately for the Ukrainian, he missed out on a medal, finishing fourth.

According to Vladyslav Heraskevych, another Ukrainian Olympian, over 450 of his fellow Ukrainians related to professional sports have now died as a result of the invasion.

Vladyslav Heraskevych raised the question of the International Olympic Committee’s ongoing decision to allow Russian athletes to compete at the 2024 Games, saying, “Russian athletes who support the war are now competing in international sports. I can’t understand how that is possible. This is madness,” per reporting by The Guardian.

Currently, the IOC is allowing Russians to compete as “neutral” athletes during the 2024 Olympics in Paris but with the invasion ongoing, many are calling for the IOC to reverse their decision.

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