“We will not be silenced”
– Megan Rapinoe condemns IOC over new protest policy
The star of last years Women’s World Cup criticised the International Olympic Committee for their newly released protest policy.
These rules now define how athletes will be allowed to protest at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020, or better, NOT be allowed to protest.
According to those rules athletes therefore must not protest in any way on the field of play or in the Olympic Village.
Kneeling and political hand gestures at Olympic events are strictly prohibited. Megan kneeled during the US national anthem in solidarity with Colin Kaepernick (NFL quarterback) back in 2016, so she knows how that feels. She has also been silently protesting during the national anthem for years, receiving strong criticism from many people, including Donald Trump. They have been trading insults ever since.
The IOC aims to be non-political but banning political gestures is a political act.
Megan uses her celebrity status for addressing pressing social issues, equality, sexism and racism. She is one of the very few sport stars who does that while still being active. She came out in 2012 and since has a history of speaking out about social issues off the pitch.
Unfollowers pick a fight with what is. She disrupts the industry and the image we have of the non-political athlete. She challenges the system in the hope to trigger change. Her actions of dissent and probable disobedience will work as an example for others, who are yet too afraid to voice their opinions.
In a recent interview with “France Football” Megan spoke out against her male colleagues Messi, Ronaldo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic for not showing any engagement. “I want to shout: Help me guys! Do they fear to loose everything? They won’t! No one will delete their names from the history books of world football if they spoke out against racism or sexism.”
She’s won’t sitting back, quietly accepting the committee’s ruling. As a member of the U.S. women’s football team she will be representing her country in Tokyo. We are hopeful she will show the IOC what she thinks of their policy firsthand.
We are looking forward to see what Megan will do on and off the pitch in Tokyo.
She won’t be intimidated, scared, or silenced.
Thank you Megan.
#MeganRapinoe
#ColinKaepernick
