Athletes can take knee at Birmingham 2022

tHE Commonwealth Games will permit athletes to take a knee at Birmingham 2022 in a move that ought to increase pressure on the olympics to do the same.

In light of the Black Lives Matter protests, the International olympic Committee have come under heavy criticism over Rule 50 of their charter, which prevents political gestures and demonstrations.

the IoC revealed this week that they are belatedly considering a relaxation of those rules and Commonwealth Games CEo David Grevemberg believes athletes must be allowed a voice.

He said: ‘We want a strong narrative around our values of humanity, equality and destiny; how we have those as not just esoteric words but bring them to life in what we do. We had lots of conversations about this notion of giving people voices and platforms for respectful advocacy and activism.

‘It is something we have had a lot of questions around. “Why are you politicising sport?” Actually, we are humanising the conversation, giving people an opportunity for freedom of expression. the Black Lives Matter movement is challenging all institutions to look at what we can do to be more fair, more free, have better equality and better systems of justice.

‘We are comfortable with the uncomfortable conversation and we need to embrace it.’

the Games will go forward a day to run from July 28 until August 8. they are also likely to condense the athletics programme from seven days to five, creating more rest days after the World Championships, which finish in the US on July 24. the hope is this will increase the likelihood of stars such as Dina Asher-Smith competing in both.