Following some erroneous reports in Russian and other media that Sergey Bubka had prevented Ukrainian athletes from wearing black armbands during Sochi 2014 competitions, The Ukrainian NOC has issued the following statement:

Statement from Ukraine NOC; Sochi, 20 February 2014.

"As President of the Ukraine NOC, Sergey Bubka has great sympathy with the wishes of Ukraine athletes who want to wear black armbands to mark the current tragic events in Ukraine. However after consultation with the IOC, it was agreed that such symbolic gestures by athletes would not be in the spirit of the Olympic Charter. Therefore both parties agreed that another way of allowing Ukraine athletes to mark their respects should be found. The Ukraine Athletes have since marked their respect in other ways such as holding a minute's silence last evening in the Olympic Village, issuing joint statements and giving media interviews."