IOC Says Rule Banning Protests Will Remain in Place at 2021 Tokyo Olympics

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has confirmed that athletes are still banned from protesting at the Olympic Games after several sports decided to allow protests in the wake of George Floyd’s death.

The IOC told the Telegraph the guidelines were still in place and that it would not speculate on “hypothetical cases 13 months before the Olympic Games”.

Rule 50 of the Olympic Charter states “no kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas.”

According to the publication, athletes who breach the rule are subject to discipline on a case-by-case basis and the IOC issued guidelines in January clarifying that banned protests include taking a knee and other gestures.

Anti-racism movements are expected to be discussed at an IOC executive board meeting on Wednesday, June 10, 2020.