the Tokyo Olympics are turning into a mess

Discussion in 'Politics' started by gwb-trading, Jul 8, 2021.

  1. gwb-trading

    gwb-trading

    Actually this interesting article showed up today about altered protesting standards at the Olympics.

    US women's soccer team kneels ahead of Olympic match after protest rules eased
    https://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-kn...ccer-team-kneels-ahead-of-olympic-match-after

    The U.S. women’s national soccer team joined other countries in taking a knee at the opening matches of the Tokyo Olympics on Wednesday, the first demonstrations at the Games following updated guidance from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on acceptable forms of protest.

    The U.S. and Swedish squads gathered on the field before all 11 starters from both teams dropped to one knee at the sound of the referee’s whistle to start the match.

    The move has become a popular symbol among athletes to condemn racial injustice, especially in the wake of George Floyd’s death last year and other police killings of Black individuals.

    Yahoo Sports reported that the U.S. and Sweden team members knelt for 10 seconds as part of the previously planned demonstrations before rising and beginning the match, which took place two days ahead of the official Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony scheduled for Friday.

    Members of the British and Chilean teams also knelt ahead of their match on Wednesday.

    While the IOC had for years banned these types of protests from taking place at Olympic events, continued pushback resulted in the committee releasing new guidelines earlier this month that athletes may demonstrate through actions such as kneeling or fist-raising in specific settings, including on the field of play prior to the start of competition.

    The IOC said athletes may also engage in forms of protest when speaking to members of the media, at team meetings, through social media platforms and other specified venues.


    IOC Athletes’ Commission Chair Kirsty Coventry said in a statement at the time that the “new guidelines are a result of our extensive consultation with the global athletes’ community.”

    “While the guidelines offer new opportunities for athletes to express themselves prior to the competition, they preserve the competitions on the Field of Play, the ceremonies, the victory ceremonies and the Olympic Village,” Coventry added. “This was the wish of a big majority of athletes in our global consultation.”

    U.S. captain Megan Rapinoe said following the team’s opening match Wednesday that kneeling is “an opportunity for us to continue to use our voices and use our platforms to talk about the things that affect all of us intimately in different ways.”

    “We have people from Team USA, from all over the country, from all backgrounds, and people literally from all over the world for every other team,” she said, according to The Associated Press. “So, I obviously encourage everyone to use that platform to the best of their ability to do the most good that they possibly can in the world, especially as all eyes are on Tokyo these next couple weeks.”

    The U.S. women’s team went on to lose 3-0 to Sweden in a shocking upset as the Americans look to add to their collection of four Olympic gold medals, more than any other women’s national team.
     
    #61     Jul 22, 2021

  2. This is actually separate apart from what U.S. athletes are doing. Racism in Europe from soccer fans has been a big issue for quite some time and the kneeling was being done in all Premiere League games and in many other leagues in Europe before kick off. There are no national anthems done in pro soccer like we do here (which is best). Right before the whistle the athletes kneeled in protest of racism and the players on the field are from all over the world.

    So what happened with the women's soccer is not from U.S. protests, but this has been going on all year in soocer around the world agaisnt racism, not during an anthem or flag.
     
    #62     Jul 22, 2021
  3. gwb-trading

    gwb-trading


    Yep... jokes made 23 years ago will lead to cancellation...


    Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony director dismissed over Holocaust joke made 23 years ago
    Tokyo has been plagued with scandals since being awarded the Games in 2013
    https://www.foxnews.com/sports/olympic-opening-ceremony-director-fired-holocaust-joke
     
    #63     Jul 22, 2021

  4. What does it take for people around the world to realize there are somethings you can never joke about because it is never funny. The list of things might be open to debate but the Holocaust is pretty much top of everyone's list.

    I find it funny though that this comes up the day or two before the Opening Ceremony rather than a few years ago when he got the job... His joke was kind of stupid but nothing that would ruffle my feathers calling for his resignation.
     
    #64     Jul 22, 2021
  5. wrbtrader

    wrbtrader

    What the Fuck ???

    Czech Olympic Committee launches investigation into flight to the Tokyo Olympic Games in which 4 athletes would test positive for Covid plus a team doctor (not vaccinated) that's a known Covid denier and Anti-vaxxer.

    They apparently had taken off their face masks for the flight although they were required to wear the face masks.
    Why in the hell did they allow someone like Vlastimil Voráček to be the team doctor instead of using a different doctor ???

    The Czech athletes should have objected instead of risking their Olympic career and that of other Olympic athletes in which this will most likely be their only Olympic games.

    It only takes one Covidiot to fuck it up for everyone else. Some of these people have trained most of their lives for this Olympic moment and one even delayed having children for this Olympic moment. :(

    Maybe the Czech delegation will be allowed to send their "alternative athletes" before the start of the Opening Ceremony. Most teams have alternatives that finish 3rd or 4th at their country trials.

    wrbtrader
     
    Last edited: Jul 22, 2021
    #65     Jul 22, 2021
  6. gwb-trading

    gwb-trading

    Coupled with COVID spreading around the Olympic Village like its on fire. It's going to be a really interesting Olympics. The podiums may be full of athletes who simply managed to evade COVID rather than the top contenders in their sport.
     
    #66     Jul 22, 2021
    wrbtrader likes this.
  7. Come on, you seriously think people can look into the future and predict all the things people will get offended over? 23 years later someone brings this bullshit up. Give me a break.
     
    #67     Jul 22, 2021
  8. gwb-trading

    gwb-trading

    Yep... a decades old line from a comedy routine that is barely offensive -- it was “Let’s play Holocaust" -- somehow ruins a guys career. But this is a really an example for the Cancel Culture thread.
     
    #68     Jul 22, 2021
    PintoFire likes this.
  9. This holocaust joke scenario causes me to shamelessly quote myself from Tuesday- above.

    Everything that comes up just seems to be sour and jinxey, and involve people on the rag.

    The atmospherics just suck. Why bother.

    U.S. womens soccer team was woke as holy hell. Fine. But you got your assed kicked. More practice, less woke please. womp.
     
    #69     Jul 22, 2021
  10. wrbtrader

    wrbtrader

    Tokyo 2020 social media teams banned from showing athletes taking the knee
    • IOC and Tokyo 2020 organisers gave instructions on Tuesday
    • Reference made to images from Team GB v Chile football match
    Tokyo-Olympics-Athlete-Protests.png
    The interesting tactic by the IOC. They're going to ban the release of photographs of athletes kneeling in protest at the Olympic Games.

    That would then seem like the IOC has already realized they can not prevent athletes from protesting.
    • What's next...fine and jail those of photographing protesting athletes ? :D
    wrbtrader
     
    #70     Jul 22, 2021