2020 Olympics: Something old, something new

January 27, 2020

Changes:

The International Olympic Committee has added four sports for the upcoming 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, while bringing two back to the itinerary.

Making Debut: Karate, skateboarding, surfing, sport climbing
Brought Back: Baseball/softball (last seen in 2008)

A total of 15 sports were added to existing sports, including 3×3 basketball, freestyle BMX and Madison cycling. The addition of these sports are not the only aspect that the IOC changed for this year’s Olympics, however.

Throughout the history of the Olympic Games, there have been protests. Some of these protests included the raising of the fists at the 1968 Games, politically charged signs or armbands, and the protests that the United States and Soviet Union led against each others’ Olympics during the Cold War.

This year, however, they have banned any and all protests. This includes any kneeling during national anthems or the protests for equal pay that the U.S. Women’s National Soccer team have been conducting over the last few years.

In the IOC’s charter, it reads: “No kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas.” According to thegrio.com, the only time athletes can protest freely is in meetings and on traditional or social media, outside the Olympic Village. If found breaking this rule, athletes could be suspended for a year or more.

Fun Facts:

This will be the second of three straight Olympics in an East Asian country.