According to press reports Lisogor and Serdyuk had refused to start because they had been denied to wear black arm bands to honor those killed in the violent clashes Ukraine's capital Kyiv the previous day.

On 19 February 2014, Ukrainian athletes asked for and were refused permission by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to wear black armbands to honour those killed in the violent clashes in Ukraine's capital Kyiv on the previous day.

[12] Matsotska was reportedly followed by about thirty Ukrainian athletes who left Sochi and returned to their country (mostly after having competed), leaving a dozen present at the Games.

[14] But according to Ukrainian NOC president Serhiy Bubka they had returned home in compliance with their original schedule, and their departure was thus not related to the riots in Kyiv.

[15] In a statement on 20 February 2014, the Ukrainian team had expressed condolences for the dead and stated, "We are thinking about our families and loved ones back home in Ukraine, and we are doing our best to honour them on the fields of play here in Sochi.

[16] Olympic biathlete Olena Pidhrushna at a news conference after her women's relay victory asked for a minute's silence in memory of the people who died in Kyiv.