Winter Olympics: Banned athlete 'reinstated' as Team GB loses appeal

For Team GB focus tomorrow will be on the men's Skeleton. the final two runs of the final take place between 6.30pm and 9.20pm. 

GB's Matt Weston currently leads the way by 0.3 seconds, but it will all come down the the final two runs down the track. Marcus Wyatt currently sits in seventh place. 

Elsewhere, Team GB's men's and women's teams are back in curling action; the men face hosts Italy at 8.05am, and the women take on Korea at 1.05pm. 

Here's a look at the latest medal table after the sixth day of action: 

1. Norway, 7 golds, 2 silvers, 5 bronze 

2. Italy, 6 golds, 3 silvers, 8 bronze

3. USA, 4 golds, 7 silvers, 3 bronze

4. Germany, 4 golds, 3 silvers, 2 bronze 

5. Sweden, 4 golds, 3 silvers, 1 bronze 

The last of the medals of the day were handed out in the men's 100m short track speed skating. The Netherlands came out on top again with Jens van 'T Wout taking the gold. 

Sun Long of China took the silver with the bronze going to Rim Jongun of Korea. 

1000m speed skating medals 

1. Jens van 'T Wout (NED) (1.24.537)

2. Sun Long (CHN) (1.24.565)

3. Rim Jongun (KOR) (1.24.611)

More medals have been decided in the short track speed skating, with Xandra Velzeboer of the Netherlands coming out on top in the Women's 500m.

Arianna Fontana of Italy took silver, while Courtney Sarault of Canada took bronze. 

Women's 500m speed skating medals 

1. Xandra Velzeboer (NED) (41.609)

2. Arianna Fontana (ITA) (42.294)

3. Courtney Sarault (CAN) (42.427)

Team GB women's curling team have suffered disappointment in their first round robin game. 

The Brits took on China, but have fallen to a 7-4 defeat after 10 ends. 

Great Britain will be looking to get back to winning ways when they take on Korea in their second match on Friday. 

Team USA star Chloe Kim has been beaten in the Women's snowboard halfpipe, with Korea's Gaon Choi taking the gold, in what is a shock result. 

Snowboard halfpipe medals 

1. Gaon Choi (KOR) (90.25)

2. Chloe Kim (USA) (88.00)

3. Mitsuki Ono (JPN) (85.00)

The medals have been decided in the Luge Team relay with Germany taking gold in a Track record time. 

Luge Team relay medals 

1. Germany (3:41.672)

2. Austria (3:42.214)

3. Italy (3.42.521)

Finland’s ski jumping head coach has been sent home from the 2026 Winter Olympics in northern Italy for violating team rules over alcohol consumption. Igor Medved had been overseeing Finland’s ski jumping programme in Milano-Cortina, and had guided the team to a sixth-place finish in Tuesday’s mixed team event.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE

Bruce Mouat has commented on the men's team start in the curling, after recording their second victory of the round robin stage. 

Team GB came out as 6-3 winners over Sweden earlier today. 

Speaking to BBC Sport, he said: 

Volodymyr Zelensky has lashed out at the International Olympic Committee (IOC)'s decision to disqualify a Ukrainian athlete from the Winter Olympics over his choice of helmet. The Ukrainian President took to X on Thursday to reply to similar criticism of the IOC from TV host and journalist Piers Morgan.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE

The medals in the Women's 5000m in the speed skating have been decided, with more success for the home nation. 

Italy's Francesca Lollobrigida has taken her second gold of the games, but was just 0.1 second ahead of second. 

Speed skating - Women's 5000m medals 

1. Francesca Lollobrigida (ITA) 

2. Merel Conijn (NED) 

3. Ragne Wiklund (NOR)

There's still plenty of sport to come throughout this evening. Here's a look at what's still to come in day six: 

17:30 - Luge: team relay

18:05 - Curling: Women's round robin (including GB women v China)

18:30 - Snowboard: Women's halfpipe final - Chloe Kim chases third-straight gold

19:15 - Short track: Women's 500m & men's 1000m

20:10 - Ice hockey: Latvia v USA & Germany v Denmark in men's preliminary round

Team GB have picked up their second win in men's curling with a statement performance against Sweden. It ended 6-3, with the match ending with two ends to spare.

Alessandro Haemmerle has won the gold medal again in the men's snowboard cross. The Austrian came back from third to retain his title.

He is joined by Canada's Eliot Grondin with the silver and fellow Austrian Jakob Dusek for the Bronze.

Frida Karlsson has landed another gold medal with a triumph in the women's 10km cross country skiing. The Swedish star landed top spot on the podium and was joined by her compatriot Ebba Andersson in second.

Jessie Diggins of the USA picked up the bronze medal.

Team GB's men are underway in the curling, as they take on Sweden in a repeat of the 2022 gold medal match. It's a heavyweight clash in the round robin stage, as the Brits look to follow up on last night's win over China.

Ukrainian Winter Olympics athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych has been allowed to remain in Milan and Cortina - but will still be unable to compete at the games after being banned.

The skeleton star has been in the headlines because of his helmet, which has been emblazoned with the faces of several Ukrainian athletes who have been killed as a result of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The 27-year-old persisted with competing in the helmet, despite it being banned by the IOC, which resulted in the expulsion. He will now be allowed to stay at the games, but won't be competing.

Read more on IOC ban u-turn here.

One of the favourites for the men's moguls, Canada's Mikael Kingsbury, has started well and is safely through to Final 2.

He recorded 82.56 to put him in second place. A good outing.

Vladyslav Heraskevych was banned from skeleton for his helmet and earlier this week, Team GB's helmets were in contention.

Their problems was down to 'technical reasons', with the sport's governing body, the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF), banned the new helmet because it "did not comply with the IBSF skeleton rules based on its shape".

The British Bobsleigh and Skeleton Association (BBSA) appealed the ruling, but Cas quashed it.

Superb heat for Matt Weston has been forced to wait until the very last go in heat 2 but he pips Axel Jungk by 0.30 (1:52:09).

Britain's Marcus Wyatt finished seventh with 1:53:21.

Vladyslav Heraskevych has claimed he feels 'emptiness' after he was banned for his war tribute helmet. 

"Yesterday and before yesterday I was training good. I could be among the medallists for this event, but suddenly because of some interpretation of the rules that I do not agree with, I am not able to compete. Other athletes in the same situation have been able to compete without facing any sanctions.

"Expression guidelines - what do you consider as expression? Many others here in this arena have helmets with different paints and I believe that is also a kind of expression. Some others had national symbols, that is also expression. For some reason, their helmets weren't checked and they were allowed to compete but I am not.

"I believe they [those who have fallen] deserve to be here because of their sacrifice. I want to honour them and their families."

Here we go then, heat 2 of the skeleton runs are underway and it could be crucial in the final standings.

We have had a little wait by Marcus Wyatt will go soon and then Matt Weston, who began the first run, will be last.

Matt Weston's electric start keeps him at the top of the standings, which is good news for Team GB.

There are still another three runs to go before the medals. Here's the current state of play:

1. Matt Weston, Great Britain - 56.21 (TR)

2. Axel Jungk, Germany - 56.27

3. Amedeo Bagnis, Italy - 56.37

4. Christopher Grotheer, Germany - 56.39

5. Chen Wenhao, China - 56.43

6. Felix Keisinger, Germany - 56.44

7. Marcus Wyatt, Great Britain - 56.52

8. Yin Zheng, China - 56.56

Ukrainian skeleton pilot Vladyslav Heraskevych has been banned from competing at the Winter Olympics for persisting to wear a helmet which features images of athletes killed during Russia's invasion of his home nation.

Heraskevych was told by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Tuesday that the helmet "does not comply" with the Olympic charter. 

He wore the helmet again on Wednesday and a statement released by the IOC confirmed he would not compete.

Matt Weston is still leading the way with 56.21, with Axel Jungk just 0.06 seconds behind him.

Italy's Amedeo Bagnis and Germany's Christopher Grotheer make up the top four. Marcus Wyatt is currently seventh.

Marcus Wyatt is currently in third with a time of 56.52 seconds, behind Germany's Axel Jungk (56.27) and Matt Weston - who leads the way - with 56.21.

The Men's skeleton is underway at Milano Cortina with two-time world champion Matt Weston setting the pace early.

Marcus Wyatt, Christopher Grotheeer, Yin Zheng and Samuel Maier will all have their turn. Updates to come.

There a nine medal events taking place on Day Six today, starting from 10.30am and running until this evening.

10:30-12:50 - Women's Super G

11:15-12:35 - Men's moguls

12:00-14:00 - Women's cross-country 10km interval

09:00-14:25 - Men's snowboard cross

17:30-18:55 - Mixed luge team relay

18:30 - 20:20 - Women's snowboard halfpipe

19:15 - 21:20 - Women's speed skating 500m short track

19:15 - 21:20 - Men's speed skating 1000m short track

Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson's were unable to end Britian's 32-year wait for an Olympic figure skating medal yesterday.

They finished seventh overall after Fear tripped on the second element of thier routine. 

"I can't believe it happened," Fear said afterwards. "I am replaying it in my head and it's just such a shame. I don't really have the words yet. It will take me some time to process."

Day Five had plenty of actions in more ways than one. Unfortunately, Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson suffered podium heartbreak in the free dance final.

American speed skating star Jordan Stolz blazed to victory in the mens 1000m speed skating, managing an Olympic record time of 1:06:28. 

Swiss' Franjo von Allmen on his third goal medal at Milan Cortina 2026 with victory in the Super G at 1:25:32.

It'a a busy day for Team GB as they continue their hunt for their first medal. 

Marcus Wyatt and Matt Weston start their campaign in the skeleton at 8.30AM before Mateo Jeannesson is in action at 9am in qualification for the Freestyle Skiing.

Anna Pryce is competing for a goal in the Women's 10km cross-country skiing. 

Welcome back for our coverage of the Winter Olympics as we enter Day Six.

The action starts in less than two hours time with the Women's curling kicking off the day. Team GB's men are in action at 1.05pm GMT against Sweden. Stay tuned as we bring you Wednesday's headlines and what to expect today.