Olympic Committee Eases Rules, Will Allow Political Statements from Athletes

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This year’s Olympics will likely come with a record number of waving fists and other such gestures now that International Olympic Committee has relaxed its rules on protests.

Traditionally, the Olympics banned all forms of political protest during the competition, even though Olympic history has been dotted with them ever since the 1968 protests of Americans Tommie Smith and John Carlos at the Mexico City Games.

The U.S. Olympic committee has wandered away from that standard, and allowed protests during any and all ceremonies. Thus, the well-publicized antics of hammer thrower Gwen Berry at the June 26 Olympic trials in Eugene, Oregon, were just peachy under American rules.

Under pressure from athletes who wanted to make the upcoming Tokyo Games a political stage, the IOC revised its policy.

According to the revised rules, restrained antics will be permitted “[o]n the field of play prior to the start of the competition (i.e. after leaving the ‘call room’ (or similar area) or during the introduction of the individual athlete or team) .”- READ MORE

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