Olympics To Include Athletes Kneeling In Highlights

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced Thursday that it will include images of players taking a knee in highlights and social media, after the photos were originally excluded, the Associated Press reported.

Players on five different teams took a knee to protest racial injustice Wednesday, marking the first time in-game protests were allowed at the Olympics, the AP reported.

The U.K., Chilean, U.S., Swedish, and New Zealand teams all took a knee on Wednesday prior to kickoff while Australia posed for a photo holding their nation’s indigenous people’s flag, the AP reported.

The IOC conceded Olympic Charter Rule 50 in July, which prohibited athletes from protesting inside any venue, according to the AP.

The IOC did not initially post the photos on its social media or highlights, but later reversed it’s policy, according to the AP.

“The IOC is covering the games on it’s owned and operated platforms and such moments will be included as well,” the IOC said Thursday, reported by the AP.

The committee updated its protest guidelines on July 2, allowing athletes to protest and express their opinions “prior to the start of competition,” but not at the podium or during the medal ceremony, it said in a press release.

Athletes are still prohibited from demonstrating “after leaving the ‘call room’ (or similar area) or during the introduction of the individual athlete or team,” the IOC said.

“When expressing their views, athletes are expected to respect the applicable laws, the Olympic values and their fellow athletes,” the guidelines said.