Take the International Olympic Committee (IOC)'s Rule 50 for example. There is a perfectly simple explanation for such a rule, but in some quarters it has been harshly criticised as an unjustifiable incursion into the rights of free speech enjoyed by Olympic athletes. The Olympic Games are an international event, now involving some 206 national Olympic committees (and, by extension, governments), approximately 40 international sports federations and, for the Summer Games, about 11,000 athletes. Rule 50 is a reminder that, at the Olympic Games, restraint is an element of that mutual respect. The Olympic Games are, in themselves, no panacea for all of the challenges that face us.

Source: Bangkok Post February 07, 2020 23:26 UTC