IOC'S PROTEST BAN CHALLENGED

Germany's athletes' association says competitors shouldn't be sanctioned for taking a knee or lifting a fist in support of racial equality during the Tokyo Olympics. The International Olympic Committee's Rule 50 forbids any kind of “demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda” in venues and any other Olympic area and the organization said Wednesday that rule should be maintained. Athletes around the world have been protesting against racial injustice against the backdrop of the Black Lives Matter movement, and even World Athletics president Sebastian Coe said athletes should have the right to protest. Athleten Deutschland's managing director Johannes Herber said the IOC'S rule attached greater importance to “maintaining political neutrality than to the fundamental rights of individual athletes.” The Tokyo Olympics start on July 23.