International Olympic Committee bans political statements by athletes at games Jan. 9, 2020 By Associated Press LAUSANNE, Switzerland — No taking a knee at the Olympics. No hand gestures with political meaning. No disrespect at medal ceremonies. The International Olympic Committee published guidelines Thursday specifying which types of athlete protests will not be allowed at the 2020 Tokyo Games. Athletes are prohibited by the Olympic Charter's Rule 50 from taking a political stand in the field of play — like the raised fists by American sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos at the 1968 Mexico City Games. Today’s Olympians now know more about which acts of “divisive disruption” will lead to disciplinary action in Tokyo. They can still express political opinions in official media settings or on social media accounts. Athletes who break protest rules at the July 24-Aug. 9 Tokyo Games face three rounds of disciplinary action — by the IOC, a sport’s governing body and a national Olympic body. The new guidelines come after two American athletes were reprimanded by the U.S. Olympic Committee for medal podium protests at the Pan-American Games in August in Lima, Peru. Fencer Race Imboden kneeled and hammer thrower Gwen Berry raised a fist in protest. Both were put on probation for 12 months, a period that covers the Tokyo Olympics. Other protests in 2019 included swimmers from Australia and Britain refusing to join world championship gold medalist Sun Yang on the podium because the Chinese star has been implicated in doping violations. “It is a fundamental principle that sport is neutral and must be separate from political, religious or any other type of interference,” the IOC document states, urging “the focus for the field of play and related ceremonies must be on celebrating athletes’ performance.” https://www.nbcnews.com/news/olympics/international-olympic-committee-bans-political- statements-athletes-games-n1113191 Sustainable activewear: How your gym kit is going green As consumers look to reform their shopping habits in light of the climate crisis, Olivia Petter looks at how the activewear market is becoming more sustainable Saturday 01 February 2020 Fast fashion culture is facing a public reckoning. Consumers are asking more questions than ever about the environmental impact of manufacturing, producing and throwing away vast quantities of clothing without any consideration for the planet. While this is a worthwhile commitment for stocking most of your wardrobe - there is one part you’re probably less inclined to buy vintage; your sports gear. Admittedly you probably have fewer outfits for exercising than day-to-day wear but even in small numbers they could still be the most damning items in your wardrobe. Traditionally, activewear is manufactured from synthetic fabrics such as nylon, polyester and spandex. These materials might boast properties that benefit your workout – such as being lightweight, stretchy, or sweat-wicking – but they certainly don’t benefit the environment. All three are non-biodegradable and require huge amounts of energy and water to produce. Additionally, they are not long-lasting, particularly when you’re exercising in them on a regular basis. “It’s not just the materials either. When we wash these fabrics in our machines is that they shed millions of tiny particles of plastic that are so small they drain out of the washing machine, through our water waste and ultimately into our oceans and into our food chain. That doesn’t bear thinking about for the environment and the marine life that swallow this nonsensical waste," explains celebrity stylist Alex Longmore. But all that could be about to change. Like many sectors of the apparel industry, the activewear market is undergoing an eco-friendly revolution. There are changes happening at every level of the market. Industry leaders like Adidas and Nike have launched sustainable initiatives to reduce their carbon footprints, with the former unveiling a line of footwear that is 100 per cent recyclable while the latter has started making clothing from recycled polyester and sustainable cotton. https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/sustainable-activewear-gym-green-eco- friendly-carbon-footprint-a9287131.html Could a Norway boycott of the Qatar World Cup change the future of football? Håvard Melnæs Tue 30 Mar 2021 Tromsø IL thinks it is time for football to stop and take a few steps back. We should think about the purpose of football and why so many love our sport. That corruption, modern-day slavery and a high number of workers’ deaths are the fundament to our most important tournament, the World Cup, is totally unacceptable.” This surprise statement, released by Norwegian top-flight club Tromsø on 26 February, from a city located north of the Arctic Circle, quickly gained national traction. In the days and weeks that followed, six more leading clubs – including the three biggest and best-supported, Rosenborg, Vålerenga and Brann – followed suit, urging the Norwegian FA to formally boycott the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Fourteen of 16 supporters’ groups in the top flight are joining the demand. It didn’t stop there. Last weekend, the Norwegian national team, including goal-scoring sensation Erling Braut Haaland and Arsenal player Martin Ødegaard, wore T-shirts championing respect and human rights, while the national teams of Germany, the Netherlands and Denmark had similar initiatives before their games. Norway players take human rights stand before World Cup qualifier Two important things occurred the same month Tromsø IL declared its stance. A new cross-club supporters’ initiative, Vår Fotball (Our Football), was formed aiming to prevent Norwegian football becoming part of “sportswashing” – and Qatar 2022 is by definition a sportswashing event. A line must be drawn somewhere, and for Norwegian football fans, that line is a World Cup in Qatar. Awarding the festival of football to an apartheid-like state accused of practising modern-day slavery is the epitome of the greed and corruption at play in the higher echelons of football governance. So are we witnessing a wind of change in international football, or is this all moral window- dressing? The demonstrations against the World Cup in Qatar may backfire. Because, where do you draw the line? Shouldn’t Martin Ødegaard, when protesting against worker exploitation in Qatar, do the same against his club’s most important sponsor, the United Arab Emirates, which treats its migrant workers the same or perhaps worse than Qatar? But the most important thing here is that football is finally being asked some inconvenient questions. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/mar/30/norway-boycott-qatar-world-cup- football .