The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee will allow raised fists and kneeling during the national anthem at Olympic trialsThe U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee will not sanction athletes for raising their fists or kneeling during the national anthem at Olympic trials, previewing a contentious policy it expects to stick to when many of those same athletes head to Tokyo this summer. The International Olympic Committee's Rule 50 is an ongoing source of friction across the globe. Many U.S. athletes have spearheaded the call for more freedom in using their platform at the Olympics to advance social justice causes. But others, both in and outside the U.S., balk at widespread rule changes that they fear could lead to demonstrations that sully their own Olympic experiences. Their raised fists on the medals stand in Mexico City led to the seminal snapshot of social protest in sports history.

Source: ABC News March 30, 2021 15:56 UTC