IOC Rule 50 forbids any kind of "demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda" in venues and any other Olympic area. IOC Athletes' Commission chief Kirsty Coventry, who led the review of Rule 50, said the majority of athletes they spoke to in the consultation process supported it. Against the backdrop of the 'Black Lives Matter' movement protesting racial injustice, however, there have been growing calls for a change to that rule that would allow athletes to protest.
American Olympians criticized the International Olympic Committee for its reiteration of a ban on protests at the Games.
The IOC approved a continued ban on protests and demonstrations at the Tokyo Olympics this week.