Watch Gymnast Luciana Alvarado's BLM-Tribute Raised Fist In Olympics Routine
Costa Rican Gymnast Luciana Alvarado didn’t require a pre-competition moment to protest inequality at the Tokyo Olympics. She actually choreographed a demonstration into her routine.
Alvarado concluded her floor event Sunday by kneeling and thrusting her fist into the air.
🇨🇷 | ALERTA OLÍMPICA: Al terminar su rutina, con la rodilla en el piso, la cabeza hacia atrás y el puño en alto, la gimnasta costarricense Luciana Alvarado homenajeó al movimiento Black Lives Matter.#CRC#Tokyo2020#ArtisticGymnastics
pic.twitter.com/NtesaruWD5— Alerta News 24 (@AlertaNews24) July 26, 2021
Alvarado said the move was in honor of the Black Lives Matter movement, The Associated Press reported.
The Costa Rican competitor, 18, told a podcast earlier that her finale was designed to highlight “the importance of everyone treated with respect and dignity and everyone having the same rights because we’re all the same and we’re all beautiful and amazing,” ESPN noted.
The International Olympic Committee has restrictions on protests by competitors. Alvarado, however, is unlikely to face punishment because her demonstration was part of her artistic presentation, CBS News reported.
Alvarado scored a 12.166 in the event and did not qualify for the final.
This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.