Tokyo Olympics .. American Saunders becomes the first female athlete to demonstrate on the podium (photos)

American petanque silver medalist Raven Saunders faces disciplinary action after becoming the first female athlete at the Tokyo Olympics to step onto the podium.

The 25-year-old African-American woman crossed her arms above her head in an English “X” shape during the coronation ceremony hours after winning the medal on Sunday.

Reuters

Reuters

And US media reported that the gesture of Saunders, a black woman and staunch supporter of gay rights, came in solidarity with “the oppressed.”

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The International Olympic Committee declined to comment on whether it would punish Saunders, saying only at a press conference on Monday: “We are in contact with the Olympic and Paralympic Committee and with the International Association of Athletics Federations, we will. to study this file, we need to understand what exactly happened. “

The International Olympic Committee has changed its rules on athletes’ protests, allowing them to protest peacefully before competitions, while any form of demonstration on the podium is still prohibited.

The updated rules of the International Committee stipulate that the disciplinary consequences will be “proportionate to the level of disturbance and the degree of infringement incompatible with Olympic values”, without specifying the form.

It should be noted that the US Olympic Committee has previously confirmed that it will not punish its athletes who protest at the Tokyo Games.

Source: AFP

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