*If you are an athlete who plans to compete in the upcoming 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo and you think you might pull a Kaepernick, know that the IOC is ready for you.
The organization is ready in the sense that it has banned kneeling and raising fists in protests at the 2020 games.
The International Olympic Committee released its guidelines for the upcoming Summer Games, and there’s no doubt that the committee is looking to crush any politics at the event.
“The unique nature of the Olympic Games enables athletes from all over the world to come together in peace and harmony,” the guidelines say.
“We believe that the example we set by competing with the world’s best while living in harmony in the Olympic Village is a uniquely positive message to send to an increasingly divided world.”
“This is why it is important, on both a personal and a global level, that we keep the venues, the Olympic Village and the podium neutral and free from any form of political, religious or ethnic demonstrations.”
Specifically, the guidelines lay out what the committee considers a protest. They are:
*Displaying any political messaging, including signs or armbands
*Gestures of a political nature, like a hand gesture or kneeling
*Refusal to follow the Ceremonies protocol.
Meanwhile, as TMZ notes, when you think of political statements, the Olympic Games have been the setting for some of the most well-known sporting event protests ever … including when Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised their fists on the podium of the 1968 Olympics — to raise awareness for civil rights.
In fact, when Carlos spoke to the site back in 2017 about Kaepernick’s kneeling demonstration, he compared the NFL quarterback’s efforts to his Olympics “Black Power” salute.
While the guidelines don’t specify punishment, the rules do say that any athlete who violates the policy will be subject to discipline.
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