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U.S. Olympic officials back athletes' right to protest at Tokyo Olympics

24 Comments
By ANDREJ ISAKOVIC

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24 Comments
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Wonder if a protest in support of the Uihgur would be 'divisive demonstration'?

15 ( +19 / -4 )

I know Japan was against allowing athletes to protest. These protests will be interesting because by law, foreigners are not allowed to protest in Japan.

21 ( +23 / -2 )

Sports and protest go hand in hand and just because you ban it that doesn't mean some won't do it.. Japan neither understands about protests in the U.S. and other places, nor cares about that or anything else. They are just interested in showing the world how great they are with their omotenashi, unbeatable customer service and unparalleled courtesy all the while being so incredibly humble . Had to force the food in my stomach back down while typing that. Too bad this coronavirus doesn't care either, eh?

15 ( +17 / -2 )

I am totally against athletes using the Olympics as a political or personal platform for protests. Any athlete who uses the games as a protest platform should be banned from competing.

0 ( +18 / -18 )

Thousand of Canadians who are descendants of the Loyalists are, by the 1783 Treaty of Paris, owed restitution and compensation from the American government. Not having remitted the obligated payments the US is not conforming with the Olympic spirit of social justice. This money is owed by a signed treaty and is a blight on the fight for universal human rights.

9 ( +11 / -2 )

That blue lipstick, awful.

-5 ( +8 / -13 )

Yeah, we all know that certain protests (the popular, fashionable, twitter-driven, woke ones) will be encouraged, but anything else won't be allowed at all. Taking a knee to support BLM (and their call to defund the police and break-up the family) and you'll be celebrated. Protest against lock-downs, corruption in the highest level of sports, or anything like that, and it'll be a different story.

Biden is supposedly the president so there won't be need to protest anymore because social workers will replace police and coronavirus will magically disappear under his reign.

3 ( +7 / -4 )

Still remember how lots of Japanese people were posting tin twitter to Osaka Naomi to "Play tennis and stop talking about BLM"

https://japantoday.com/category/sports/naomi-osaka-called-racist-by-racists-after-posting-meme-in-response-to-covid-19-cases

11 ( +11 / -0 )

Japan neither knows, nor worries for, protests in the U.S. and other countries, or something else. They are only interested in telling the world how awesome they are, all the while being so extremely polite with their omotenashi, unbeatable customer service and incredible courtesy.

9 ( +11 / -2 )

Wonder if a protest in support of the Uihgur would be 'divisive demonstration'?

I can already see every single Chinese athlete "protesting" the foreign interventions on the Chinese internal problems (like the Uihgur, Hong Kong and Taiwan), or half a dozen other countries forcing their athletes to do the same against their national enemies. I cannot see this as a positive development.

8 ( +9 / -1 )

Perhaps some will protest that they have human rights that says they do not have to wear a mask?

-8 ( +3 / -11 )

And the lips are stunning. They match beautifully with her outfit and skin tone. Blue contacts would have really made it a super hit.

-14 ( +2 / -16 )

I think the best thing for the everyone is this:......nothing. The USIOC advises athletes to keep protest respectful, the IOC enforces it's rule against protesting on the field of play and official ceremonies, and athletes still have a free choice on how they want to conduct themselves. Actions need to have consequences for them to have value. Athletes can still use their interviews and press conferences to focus as much or as little attention on social goals as they want to and it will get the same amount of attention.

-11 ( +1 / -12 )

Keep this rubbish out of sports please, everyone feels the need to be PC .

-5 ( +11 / -16 )

Rule 50

The Olympic Charter Rule 50 bars athletes from performing any kind of political, religious or racial propaganda in sports. No kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas

There is a good logical reasoning behind rule 50. It's primary goal is to ensure neutrality, keep Olympics free of political interference

8 ( +8 / -0 )

Only Team USA will be allowed to make its demonstrations? I'm sure athletes from a lot of countries will be delighted to share with the world their own political agendas.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

The elephant in the room is some Korean 'supporters' who have repeatedly found various reasons for demonstrating against Japan. They will surely take their cue from this US lead, leading to endless unnecessary headaches and hassle.

Safer all round if we could just stick to sports, without the political demonstrations.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Many just want to forget and put behind them that the world watched a very public lynching of a guy called Lloyd George in the 21st century

First, it is "Floyd", not "Lloyd".

Second, why single out this case from nearly nine hundred people killed annually by the U.S, police?

Third: why this case must be a concern for the whole world? No other people dead?

And the most important: why this case should be discussed at the Olympics?

4 ( +4 / -0 )

"..can be a leading force for global good, and we are proud to advocate for the advancing opportunities and pathways for respectful athlete expression within our sports community,"

Mumbo-jumbo for "We're weak managers and fear the US athletes might pull out."

Again, Keep personal agendas out of the Olympics.

All that having been said, the Olympics has, for years, been political and money-driven. Oh yeah, and I think there are some sports involved, too...

2 ( +2 / -0 )

@Lamilly

I think without the help of caps, and my idea is very simple: keep the political garbage out of Olympics. The Olympic movement is already quiclky losing interest and support of more and more people due to the greed of its organizers, PC trash will kill the half-dead Olympics completely.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Well, if the US backs it Japan has no choice, since they cannot say no to the US.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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