How can one conduct highly emotional negotiations in situations of significant power imbalance and distinguish between unwavering values and positions dictated by regulations? The new educational case study, “The Ukrainian Olympic Skeleton Helmet Negotiation: Representative of Vladyslav Heraskevych, Ukrainian Olympic Skeleton Racer,” developed by researchers at the Ivey Business School and UCU, offers business education a unique role-playing simulation for addressing complex value conflicts on the international stage.
What is this case study about?
The events of the simulation take place in 2026, on the eve of the Winter Olympic Games in Milan-Cortina. One day before the start of the skeleton competition, Ukrainian athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych sought to take the starting line wearing a helmet featuring portraits of 24 Ukrainian athletes who died as a result of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) deemed this design a political statement that violates Articles 40.2 and 50.2 of the Olympic Charter. Seeking to avoid a public scandal, the IOC proposed a compromise: allowing the helmet to be displayed outside of competition but prohibiting its wear during the race.
This bilateral negotiation simulation presents participants with a sharp dilemma where geopolitical context, institutional precedents, and the desire to honor the memory of fallen compatriots intersect.
Why is this experience unique in the world? Learning tools for business education
Designed for master’s students, management course participants, and executives, this case study serves as a practical training tool for developing negotiation skills in crisis situations.
The instructional material explores the following key concepts of the negotiation process:
– Distinguishing between hard positions and underlying interests: participants learn to look beyond ultimatums and identify the true motives of each party amid emotional tension.
– Managing conflicts of values and identity: examining situations in which personal convictions, moral obligations, and national memory are at stake.
– Overcoming power asymmetries: analyzing how an individual leader or representative of a smaller party can effectively engage in dialogue with a powerful international institution.
– Symbolic Framing and the Role of Precedent: examining how the interpretation of symbols and references to organizations’ previous decisions influence the final outcome of backroom agreements.
– Finding Creative Compromises: developing skills for unconventional solutions under time constraints and ethical pressure.
Case Study Overview
You can access the full version of the educational simulation case study “The Ukrainian Olympic Skeleton Helmet Negotiation: Representative of Vladyslav Heraskevych, Ukrainian Olympic Skeleton Racer” directly on the Ivey Publishing platform at the following link: Case Study: The Ukrainian Olympic Skeleton Helmet Negotiation | Ivey Publishing.
