Dylan Bettencourt
Luciana Alvarado made use of a loophole in the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) protest rule to pay tribute to Black Lives Matter.
The 18-year-old from Costa Rica ended her routine by kneeling on the floor and raised her fist in the air in a gesture supporting the continued fight against the racial inequality faced by black people.
In Rule 50 of the Olympic Charter, the IOC prohibits any athlete protest or political demonstration on the field-of-play or medal ceremony podium.
Speaking after the event, the teenager told Associated Press: “We’re all the same. We’re all beautiful and amazing.”
Before the games began, social media teams were told they were not allowed to post any of their athletes kneeling during the games, a decision that was overturned less than 24 hours later.
The IOC does permit acts of free expression as long as they take place before the event begins.
Athlete activism has long been a feature of the Olympics, this year’s games have been no different.
The German women’s gymnastics team created and competed in full-length leotards as a symbol against the sexualisation of women in sport.
In a similar event, the Norwegian beach volleyball team chose not to compete in the traditional bikini outfit and instead competed in shorts, a decision that landed them a fine from the IOC. The singer known as Pink has offered to pay the fine.
During the medal ceremony in the Olympic Stadium in Mexico City in 1968, Tommie Smith and John Carlos, each raised a black-gloved fist during the playing of the USA national anthem.
Image source: @USAToday
