US Olympic Committee will allow kneeling, raised fists at qualifying trials

The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) on Tuesday announced that certain racial and social justice demonstrations will be permitted at qualifying trials, including kneeling and raised fists.

Wearing a hat with phrases such as “Black Lives Matter,” vocally advocating for equal rights for minority groups, holding up a fist at the start line or on the podium, and kneeling on the podium or at the start line during the national anthem are all acceptable demonstrations, the committee said. Athletes who engage in these demonstrations will not be sanctioned.

“The USOPC values the expressions of Team USA athletes and believes that their right to advocate for racial and social justice aligns with the fundamental values of equality that define Team USA and the Olympic and Paralympic movements,” an overview of the rules from the committee reads.

The policy only affects trial events, not the Olympic and Paralympic Games. In the coming months, the committee said it will issue separate guidance for the Games.

In a letter to Team USA athletes, U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee CEO Sarah Hirshland called racial and social justice demonstrations an “important” topic, adding, “I have confidence you’ll make the best decision for you, your sport and your fellow competitors.”

But she cautioned that the committee “can’t control the actions others may take in response.”

The committee specified expressions that would not be tolerated at the trial events: wearing a hat with a hate symbol or hate speech; making hand gestures affiliated with hate groups; engaging in violent protests; defacing, distorting or causing physical harm to a national flag; and taking part in a protest clearly targeting a specific organization, person or group of people.

In December, the USOPC said it would not sanction athletes who engaged in peaceful and respectful demonstrations in support of racial or social justice causes, after the International Olympic Committee set guidelines forbidding “demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda.”