There is a long and rich athlete activism history and protest at the Olympic Games. From ICONIC BLACK POWER GREETING Involving Tommie Smith, John Carlos and Peter Norman in Mexico 1968, with protests less known for Vincent Matthews and Wayne Collett” Vera Caslavska and Fiyesa LilesaAthletes have used the moment on the podium and on the way to bring problems of social, racial and political injustice to a world audience.
Despite being an integral part of the exhibitions in the Lausanian Museum, the iconic actions of Smith, Carlos and Norman, as well as others, emulating them such as Us Us Hammer Thrower Gwen Berry Now it would be in breach of rule 50 or the Olympic statute:
Rule 50.2 of the Olympic Charter establishes that:
No child or political, religious or racial manifestation or propaganda is allowed in any Olympic site, place or other areas.
In response to the recent increase in athlete activism, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has for the first time affair Orientation on how rule 50.2 will apply In Tokyo 2020 and beyond. This guide prohibits all medal ceremonies, protests, opening and closing ceremonies, competence in the playing field and in the Olympic village. If it breaks, the athletes face the disqualification of their events, the elimination of official Olympic accreditation and the expulsion of the athletes and games village.
Protected is protected in other physical and digital environments, freedom of expression. This includes gestures made on the playing field porch The Start of the Competition Provid That the Expression or the Gesture is consisting with the fundamental principal of Olympism, is not targedted aga Instit specific people, country, Organizations and/Ortheir Dignity, is not disruptive and is not prohibited commotion limited byited byited byt. Byited Limited Byited Limited Byited Limited Byited Limited Byited Limited Byited Byited Limited Byited Limited Byited Byited Byited Limited Byited Limited Byited Byited Byited Limited Byited Byited Byited Byited Limited Byited Byited Byited Byited Byited Byited Byited (NOC) and/or the competence regulations of the relevant International Federation.
The key problem with this revised guide is that it lacks clarity and is open to an inconsistent application by different sports and each NOC. At present, there is no clear definition of what constitutes a forbidden gesture. It can be assumed that the knee is forbidden or lifted a fist, but says nothing from an athlete who greets his flag or place his hand on his heart when his national anthem is playing.
In addition, some NOC, for example, the British Olympic Association and the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee, have publicly declared that they do not sanction athletes that are understood or involved in other forms of expression approval of the expression. Most others have remained silent on the subject and may not support their athletes.
Similarly, international sports federations have different positions. FIFA has been supportive, allowing players to take the knee before the start, and the Australian women’s team was allowed Be behind the aboriginal flag Before his first game against New Zealand. On the contrary, Fina has declared that such gestures are not allowed next to the pool, despite the COI guide.
The complexity of the problems involved can be seen in two very different situations. Duration The competition of the gymnastics team, Luciana Alvarado or Costa Rica He incorporated both knee and lifting his fist to the artistic element of his floor routine, movements that cannot be sanctioned under rule 50.2 As these elements of the action are censored by the officials. Meanwhile in the Men’s Cycling Course, German coach Patrick Moster Racist comments were heard as an encouragement to one of its runners. Command Condemned by the UCI And now Sent home by the German Olympic FederationNo other official action has been tasks against Moster. It is absurd to think that athletes who protest against discrimination, social and racial injustice are under the threat of expulsion from games, but those who participate in racist behavior are not sanctioned in a similar way.
The orientation has raised at least as many questions, since it has become increased, ensuring that this emerging Olympic area or law will be tested in its limits in Tokyo 2020 and again in a few months in Beijing the IOC willing to freeze to freeze the IOC that is disputed in the IOC, the IOC, the IOC, the otitofial of ladyalfialfy ladalialfy ladalial. Ladyalfy. LadySialsialsialsialsialsialsialsialsialsialsialsialsialialialialFy Damialfy Dameify. to enforce rule 50.2 and his desire for an neutral political game.
Professor Mark James, Professor of Sports Law at the Sports Institute of the Manchester Metropolitan University and the Manchester Law School.
