14 Brave Olympians Who Spoke Out Or Protested During The Games
It’s impossible to invite countries worldwide to compete in a multi-sport event like the Olympics without politics seeping through. Athletes are humans, and to expect them to stay silent in the face of adversity and injustice is to diminish their voices on the very platforms where they were invited to showcase their talents to the world.
However, apoliticism is an expectation that the International Olympic Committee has for everyone participating in their games. Ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics, they issued their Declaration by the IOC against the politicization of sport, which states, “Sports organizations within the Olympic Movement shall apply political neutrality.”
Per the Olympic charter, “The mission of the IOC is to promote Olympism throughout the world and to lead the Olympic Movement. The IOC’s role is to oppose any political or commercial abuse of sport and athletes.”
But what’s a gold medal worth when injustices occur all over the world? These 14 athletes stood for something during their appearance at the Olympics.
2. Tommie Smith and John Carlos
6. Věra Čáslavská
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Per BBC, Czech gymnast Věra Čáslavská protested against Soviet-led invasions at the 1968 Olympics, where she turned her head away from the Soviet flag during the medal ceremony. It was a moment when she publicly opposed the Soviet regime and advocated for Czechoslovak independence.
10. Megan Rapinoe, Alex Morgan, and other members of the US Women’s Soccer team.
14. Fethi Nourine
Judoka Fethi Nourine of Algeria took on a 10-year ban from the International Judo Federation after withdrawing from a bout against Israel’s Tohar Butbul at the Tokyo Olympics in solidarity with Palestine, the Guardian reports.
