The US Olympic and Paralympic Committee will now allow athletes to protest by kneeling or raising their fists during the national anthem at Olympic trials.
The nine-age document released by the USOPC comes three months after the federation determined it wouldn’t enforce longstanding rules that ban demonstrations at Olympic trials, USA Today reported.
USOPC offers guidance about the sort of ‘racial and social demonstrations’ that will and will not be allowed by the hundreds who will compete for the spots on the team.
“The International Olympic Committee’s Rule 50 is an ongoing source of friction across the globe.point 211 |
Many U.point 6 | S.point 8 | athletes have spearheaded the call for more freedom in using their platform at the Olympics to advance social justice causes.point 114 | But others, both in and outside the U.point 145 | S.point 147 | , balk at widespread rule changes that they fear could lead to demonstrations that sully their own Olympic experiences,”
usatoday.point 9 | com/story/sports/olympics/2021/03/30/us-olympic-trials-raised-fists-kneeling-anthem-allowed/4805423001/">USA Today
reported.point 131 | 1“The wide-ranging debate traces its most-visible roots to the ouster of U.S. sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos from the 1968 Games. Their raised fists on the medals stand in Mexico City led to the seminal snapshot of social protest in sports history.”
The USOPC shared a list of do’s and don’ts. Allowable forms of protests include kneeling during the national anthem, wearing face masks or hats with phrases such as ‘Black Lives Matter’ or words such as ‘justice’ or ‘equality’, and holding up a fist.
The list of not allowed includes hate symbols, as defined by the Anti-Defamation League, and actions that would obstruct others from competing.
The document also made clear that allowable demonstrations should involve “advancing racial and social justice; or promoting the human dignity of individuals or groups that have historically been underrepresented, minoritized, or marginalized in their respective societal context.”
While the USOPIC will not punish athletes for acceptable actions, it cannot “prevent … third parties from making statements or taking actions of their own, and that each Participant must make their own personal decision about the risks and benefits that may be involved.”
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