Olympic Committee Tries Once Again to Separate Politics from Sports

 

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced this month that athletes are barred from making political statements at Olympic events. It said banned actions can include making hand signs and bending down on one knee during medal ceremonies and competition.

The warning came as part of new guidelines for rule 50 of the Olympic Charter – the set of rules governing the Olympic movement. The guidelines state: "It is a fundamental principle that sport is neutral and must be separate from political, religious or any other type of interference."

The president of the IOC, Thomas Bach, noted¹: "The eyes of the world will be on the athletes and the Olympic games." The Associated Press reported his comments.

Kirsty Coventry is head of the IOC Athletes' Commission. She said the goal of the announcement is to bring clarity to an issue that been around for a long time.

Other areas where political statements are not permitted include the field of play, at the Olympic village and during the opening and closing ceremonies.

The IOC added that athletes may "express their opinions" at press conferences, in team meetings and on digital media while observing local laws.

Many years of dispute

Last year, two athletes from the United States used medal ceremonies at the Pan American Games to make what U.S. officials considered political statements. The head of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee criticized Gwen Berry, who specializes in the hammer throw, and fencer Race Imboden. The two were ordered on probation² for 12 months for their actions at the games in Lima, Peru.

Possibly the most famous example of athletes making political statements came at the 1968 Mexico City Olympic Games. U.S. track and field medalists Tommie Smith and John Carlos each raised one fist in the air in what many thought to be a sign of black power.

The IOC barred the two from competing for the remainder of the Mexico City Games.

The athletes' commission said any punishment for breaking the rules would be given "on a case-by-case basis as necessary." It said that sports organizations and the athletes' national governing bodies will have the power to decide the severity of the punishment.

Critics of the IOC policy to limit protests, however, say it is still not clear and not different from the group's stated policy for many years. Rule 50 of the Olympic charter states that: "No kind of demonstration³ or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted." It also bans advertising⁴ unless permitted by the IOC.

The release of the guidelines takes place at a time when television broadcasts and social media enable athletes to send out messages faster and farther. Two recent examples are former American football player Colin Kaepernick and Megan Rapinoe, a star of the U.S. women's national soccer team.

However, critics argue that the IOC does not make clear who will make judgments⁵ in individual cases. They also say the guidelines do not say who has the responsibility of carrying out punishment for breaking the rules.

Political history

Politics have appeared in the Olympic Games many times over the years. Yet the stated goal of the Olympic Movement was to keep sports and politics separate. Critics note that Germany, under Adolph Hitler, held the Olympic Games in 1936. They also point to the way former IOC President Avery Brundage dealt with South Africa during its period of racial separation, known as apartheid.

Politics caused many Americans to stay away from the Olympics 40 years ago when the U.S. team boycotted⁶ the 1980 Moscow Games. The United States was protesting the invasion of Afghanistan by the former Soviet⁷ Union. Four years later, the Soviet team boycotted the Olympics held in Los Angeles, California.

Critics of the latest guidelines say they appear to dispute or make less clear the purpose of the games.

The Charter states: "The goal of the Olympic Movement is to contribute to building a peaceful and better world by educating youth through sport practiced in accordance with Olympism and its values."

Possibly with that idea in mind, IOC President Thomas Bach had his picture taken with American and Iranian athletes at the Youth Olympic Games earlier this month.

The Tokyo Olympic Games are set to begin on July 24. More than 10,000 athletes from more than 200 nations and territories will compete in an event watched by hundreds of millions of people worldwide.

Words in This Story

fundamental –adj. relating to the most important part of something

principle –n. a basic truth of idea that forms the basis of a belief

digital – adj. involving or related to computer technology

probation –n. a period of time when a person who has made a serious mistake is watched and must behave well

fist - n. a person's hand when the fingers are bent⁸ in toward the middle of the hand and held there tightly

contribute –n. to give something to help a cause or group

1 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

2 probation   

n.缓刑(期)，(以观后效的)察看；试用(期)

参考例句：

• The judge did not jail the young man,but put him on probation for a year.法官没有把那个年轻人关进监狱，而且将他缓刑察看一年。
• His salary was raised by 800 yuan after his probation.试用期满以后，他的工资增加了800元。

3 demonstration   

n.表明，示范，论证，示威

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。

4 advertising   

n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的

参考例句：

• Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗?
• The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。

5 judgments   

判断( judgment的名词复数 )； 鉴定； 评价； 审判

参考例句：

• A peculiar austerity marked his judgments of modern life. 他对现代生活的批评带着一种特殊的苛刻。
• He is swift with his judgments. 他判断迅速。

6 boycotted   

抵制，拒绝参加( boycott的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Athletes from several countries boycotted the Olympic Games. 有好几国的运动员抵制奥林匹克运动会。
• The opposition party earlier boycotted the Diet agenda, demanding Miyaji's resignation. 反对党曾杯葛国会议程，要宫路下台。

7 Soviet   

adj.苏联的，苏维埃的；n.苏维埃

参考例句：

• Zhukov was a marshal of the former Soviet Union.朱可夫是前苏联的一位元帅。
• Germany began to attack the Soviet Union in 1941.德国在1941年开始进攻苏联。

8 bent   

n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的

参考例句：

• He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
• We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。