IOC says athlete protests remain banned at Tokyo Olympics - UPI.com
70% of the athletes said that it was not appropriate to protest during the games.
This puts the IOC at odds with the US Olympic Committee.
April 21 (UPI) -- The International Olympic Committee announced Wednesday that athlete protests and political messages will remain banned at the Tokyo Olympics after a survey found that a majority of competitors supported keeping the ban in place.
The decision means that raising a fist on the podium -- as American sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos famously did at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City -- or taking a knee could lead to discipline at the Tokyo Games this year.
70% of the athletes said that it was not appropriate to protest during the games.
In a statement, the IOC said more than 3,500 athletes were surveyed over the past year, with 70% of those individuals saying it was "not appropriate to demonstrate or express their views" on the field of play or during the opening and closing ceremonies.
The survey also revealed that 67% of respondents disapproved of podium demonstrations.
This puts the IOC at odds with the US Olympic Committee.
Smith and Carlos were expelled from the 1968 Olympics after raising their fists.
The upholding of Rule 50 of the Olympic Charter, which bans any "demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda" at the Games, puts the IOC at odds with United States Olympic officials.
In December, the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee said it won't take action if athletes raise their fists or kneel during the national anthem at event trials before the Tokyo Games.
The U.S. Olympic body eased its stance after competitors asked for the right to express themselves on racial and social justice issues.
The Tokyo Olympic Games are scheduled to start July 23 and run through Aug. 8.