Tuesday, Virginie Phulpin attacks a rule imposed on athletes participating in the Olympic Games: political neutrality. She would like the IOC to authorize athletes to take certain actions, in particular against racism, like Tommie Smith and John Carlos at the Mexico City Olympics in 1968.
French sport is in turmoil after the racist tags discovered on portraits of our champions on the INSEP grids. For you, action must be taken, and the IOC must relax its rules which prohibit athletes from taking any action to combat racism at the Olympic Games.
I suggest you do a little test around you. Ask the people around you what images have left the greatest impression on them in the history of the Olympic Games. There will be some records, French victories like those of Marie-José Pérec in Atlanta or Laure Manaudou in Athens, epic duels, of course. But I would bet with you, there will necessarily, and even especially, this podium of the 200 meters at the Olympic Games in Mexico in 1968.
Tommie Smith and John Carlos raising their gloved black fists, staring at the ground, to protest racism in the United States. It was this gesture that was remembered, much less the fact that Tommie Smith broke the world record that day. So they quickly went from podium to hell, these athletes, since they were banned from competition for life. No politics at the Olympics, the charter is very clear. It hasn't changed since 1968. And I find that there is a problem.
Obviously there is no need for partisan politics or religious proselytism. But if this image of Mexico City has had such an impact and everyone has it in mind today, it is precisely because the Olympic Games intrinsically convey the values of equality between human beings. And for me, actions to combat racism should absolutely not be prohibited, they are part of the Olympism, and I find that authorizing them would be a strong gesture at a time when we need them so much. John Carlos, one of the protagonists of the Mexico podium, also signed a letter a few days ago to request a change from the IOC.
Yes, but the IOC has already said that the knee on the ground, symbol of the Black Lives Matter, would be banned at the Tokyo Olympics.
It is not yet known whether these Tokyo Olympics can really take place, and if they do take place, we are not sure when they will take place, or under what conditions. There are a lot of questions that arise with the pandemic, and it is normal not to have definitive answers for now. On the other hand, the only thing we can be sure of is that athletes will not be allowed to kneel on the ground. Was it really urgent to decide on this from the IOC? It is not known if you will be able to run or swim, but in any case, you will not be able to show that you are fighting against racism. I think we're sending the wrong message. And the disgusting tags discovered on the photos of the French champions on Sunday are further proof that the battle is far from won, and that it might be necessary to rethink what is considered political at the Olympics.