The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has acknowledged receiving an open letter to amend an IOC rule that threatens to penalize athletes for protesting or performing on the medal podium at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
The IOC issued a statement saying they stand by the organization’s recent amendment, which loosened previous guidelines to allow some forms of protest expression – but not during medal forums, celebrations and games.
His full statement reads:
“IOC acknowledges the receipt of the letter. Following a global consultation, involving 3500 athletes from 185 NOCs, the IOC Athletes Commission (IOC AC) put forward Rule 50.2 of the Olympic Charter and Athlete Expression A set of recommendations regarding the Olympic Games. Rule 50.2 provides a framework to protect the neutrality of the Games and the Olympic Games. In search of more opportunities for athlete expression during the Olympic Games, global athlete representatives have organized a stage, playground and celebrations free of any type of protest. The IOC Executive Board (IOC EB) accepted all the recommendations. Details about the process and results can be found Here. As part of the implementation of the IOC AC’s recommendations, EB has approved the Revised Rule 50.2 Guidelines for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 that expand opportunities for athlete expression in Tokyo.
Some background: American hammer thrower Gwen Berry, along with famed 1968 medalists Tommy Smith and John Carlos, are three of more than 150 athletes, human rights and social justice experts and sports organizations who have an open letter Highly placed members of the International Olympic Committee on Thursday called for an amendment to an IOC rule that threatens to penalize athletes for protesting or demonstrating on medal podiums at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
The letter calls on the IOC to refrain from “banning athletes protesting and demonstrating in accordance with the internationally recognized human rights framework – including podiums – at any Olympic/Paralympic venues, venues or other areas for the Tokyo and Beijing Games”. does. the wanted. .
After a 10-month consultation process with 185 different National Olympic Committees and more than 3,500 athletes representing all 41 Olympic sports, the IOC decided in April to uphold the Rule 50 ban on protests. On 2 July, the IOC amended Rule 50 by adding Section 50.2, which loosened the previous guidelines, allowing athletes to express their views in mixed areas during press conferences, interviews, as well as before the start of competition. Permission granted. permitted to.
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