Sports

Long-Banned Athlete Protest Acts Expected at Tokyo Olympics

Published

5 years ago

July 20, 2021

The players take a knee before the Euro 2020 soccer championship final match between England and Italy at Wembley stadium in London, Sunday, July 11, 2021. (Carl Recine/Pool Photo via AP)

TOKYO (AP) — Athlete activism is making a comeback at these Olympic Games.

When play starts at the Tokyo Games on Wednesday, acts of free expression of the kind athletes were long banned from making at the Olympics will take center stage.

The British women’s soccer team has pledged to take a knee before kickoff against Chile in their Olympic tournament opener in Sapporo, to show support for racial justice.

“We want to show to everyone this is something serious,” Britain defender Demi Stokes said. “What a way to do it, on an Olympic stage.”

One hour later in Tokyo, the United States and Sweden should follow in a gesture recognized globally since the murder of George Floyd 14 months ago. The England and Italy men’s teams took a knee before the European Championship final this month.

What is common in modern soccer starts a new era for Olympic athletes more than 50 years after the raised black-gloved fists of American sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos in Mexico City made them icons and pariahs.

Still, it is a limited freedom allowed by the International Olympic Committee, which just this month eased its longstanding ban on all athlete protest inside the Games field of play. The change followed two reviews in 18 months by the IOC’s own athletes commission which advised against it.

Gestures are now allowed before races and games start, on the field, and at the start line.

Medal podiums remain off limits for protest, and even the IOC concessions left each sport’s governing body free to retain the ban.

Lawyers who study Rule 50 of the Olympic Charter — that banned any kind of “demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda” until July 2 — see issues ahead with athletes and the IOC heading on a fast track to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

“I think we can clearly expect some frictions around Rule 50 in the coming weeks,” sports law academic Antoine Duval said when hosting a recent debate on the inevitable athlete activism at Tokyo.

FIFA has had a relaxed view on taking a knee since players were inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement last year.

“FIFA believes in freedom of speech and opinion, and this applies to players, coaches, officials and any other person or organization within the scope of FIFA’s activities,” soccer’s world body said in a statement.

Expect raised fists at least on the start line in the main Olympic stadium when track and field events begin on July 30.

World Athletics president Sebastian Coe, a two-time Olympic gold medalist in the 1,500 meters, has gone even further. He put in play medal ceremonies where protest is denied as it was for Smith and Carlos in 1968.

“I’ve been very clear that if an athlete chooses to take the knee on a podium then I’m supportive of that,” Coe said inside Tokyo’s National Stadium last October.

Soccer and athletics are the progressive end of the 33 sports governing bodies at these Summer Games.

Swimmers’ pre-race introductions are similar to track athletes, one by one toward their starting block, but governing body FINA followed the IOC announcement by refusing to allow any gesture that could be viewed as protest.

FINA president Husain al-Musallam spoke of the pool deck “remaining a sanctity for sport and nothing else,” where there should be “respect for the greater whole, not the individual.”

That stance was at odds with the new Rule 50 guidance yet was defended by IOC president Thomas Bach last week.

“There is not really a ‘one size fits all’ solution,” Bach said when asked about the apparent contradiction of some Olympic athletes having fewer freedoms than others in Tokyo.

It will fall to the IOC to decide on potential disciplinary cases which it promised to handle “in full transparency.”

This could lead to inconsistencies, according to Mark James, who teaches sports law at Manchester Metropolitan University in England.

“There will be flashpoints,” James said in the Rule 50 debate hosted by Netherlands-based Asser Institute. “Why are some (gestures) acceptable but some are a breach?”

James anticipated issues over the political intent of flags, and if the more open approach to athlete free speech in Tokyo would survive in China at the 2022 Beijing Winter Games.

What seems clear is a shift in the social media era of athletes’ influence over event organizers and sports bodies.

“It is not just an IOC challenge, this is global sport,” said David Grevemberg from the Geneva-based Centre for Sport and Human Rights.

“This is actually, I would say, a crossroads for all sport.”

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South Florida News

Uruguay, Saudi Arabia Play to 1-1 Tie as World Cup Atmosphere Electrifies Miami Gardens

Published

6 days ago

June 16, 2026

FNN SPORTS

FIFA World Cup 2026, Uruguay vs Arabia Saudita, Miami, Florida. Photo by Harry Castiblanco / Florida National News

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (FNN SPORTS) — Hard Rock Stadium felt more like Montevideo than South Florida on Monday as tens of thousands of Uruguayan supporters packed the venue for Uruguay’s World Cup opener against Saudi Arabia.

FIFA World Cup 2026, Uruguay vs Arabia Saudita, Miami, Florida. Photo by Harry Castiblanco / Florida National News

A crowd of 62,764 fans created a vibrant international atmosphere, with Uruguay supporters draped in giant blue-and-white flags and chanting “U-ru-guay! U-ru-guay!” throughout the match. Despite the passionate backing, Uruguay was forced to settle for a 1-1 draw against Saudi Arabia.

The stadium was awash in light blue as Uruguayan fans filled much of the venue, transforming Miami Gardens into a home-away-from-home for La Celeste. Meanwhile, a spirited contingent of Saudi supporters occupied sections of the south stands, waving green flags and providing energetic support for their national team.

FIFA World Cup 2026, Uruguay vs Arabia Saudita, Miami, Florida. Photo by Harry Castiblanco / Florida National News

WORLD CUP ATMOSPHERE IN SOUTH FLORIDA

The match showcased South Florida’s growing reputation as an international soccer destination, drawing fans from across the globe and creating a World Cup-like environment inside Hard Rock Stadium.

Both teams battled evenly throughout the contest, with neither side able to find a decisive breakthrough. The result leaves Uruguay and Saudi Arabia with a point apiece as they continue their tournament campaigns.

FIFA World Cup 2026, Uruguay vs Arabia Saudita, Miami, Florida. Photo by Harry Castiblanco / Florida National News

FANS DELIVER MEMORABLE SCENE

While the match ended in a draw, the atmosphere was among the day’s biggest highlights. The sea of blue-and-white and the nonstop chants from Uruguay supporters were matched by the enthusiasm of Saudi fans, producing a memorable international soccer showcase in Miami Gardens.

Sports

Orlando Storm Quarterback Jack Plummer Named 2026 UFL Most Valuable Player

Published

1 week ago

June 12, 2026

Willie David

Orlando Storm Quarterback Jack Plummer Named 2026 UFL Most Valuable Player

Source: The UFL / Orlando Storm

ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN SPORTS) — The United Football League has named Orlando Storm quarterback Jack Plummer the 2026 UFL Most Valuable Player after a record-setting regular season that helped lead the franchise to the league’s best record.

Plummer becomes the third quarterback to earn the UFL’s highest individual honor, following Bryce Perkins of the Michigan Panthers in 2025 and Adrian Martinez of the Birmingham Stallions in 2024.

The award was selected by a panel of league and team executives, coaches, players, media members and broadcast partners based on performances during the recently completed 10-game regular season.

Plummer Credits Team, Coaches

“It is an incredible honor to be named the 2026 UFL Most Valuable Player,” Plummer said. “While my name may be on this award, it truly belongs to so many people who have helped me along this journey.”

Plummer thanked his teammates and coaching staff, specifically Orlando Storm head coach Anthony Becht, for helping him reach the milestone.

“I also want to extend a special thank you to Coach Becht,” Plummer said. “His leadership, trust and belief in me have had a tremendous impact on my development as a player and as a person.”

Dominant Season Under Center

In the Storm’s inaugural season, Plummer guided Orlando to an 8-2 record and the No. 1 seed entering the postseason.

He led the UFL in passing yards (2,188), completions (195) and quarterback rating (104.1) while throwing 17 touchdown passes. Plummer completed 65% of his passes and threw just one interception all season.

The Storm offense led the league with an average of 208.3 passing yards per game.

“Jack personifies exactly what an elite UFL quarterback should look like,” Becht said. “His leadership, his ability to process information and make plays at any moment made him the most valuable player in the UFL.”

Historic Numbers and Signature Moments

Plummer scored or accounted for a touchdown in every game this season and threw at least one touchdown pass in nine of Orlando’s 10 regular-season contests.

He completed 75% or more of his passes in three games and recorded three-touchdown performances in victories against the Louisville Kings and D.C. Defenders.

Among his most impressive accomplishments was setting a UFL record with 255 consecutive pass attempts without throwing an interception.

Plummer also earned UFL Offensive Player of the Week honors in Week 8 after leading Orlando to a 34-21 victory over the Dallas Renegades that clinched a playoff berth.

In that game, he threw for 238 yards and rushed for two touchdowns, including a spectacular 71-yard touchdown run that remains the longest rushing play by a quarterback in the UFL this season.

Storm Set for Playoff Run

With Plummer leading the offense, Orlando enters the playoffs as the league’s top seed and one of the favorites to compete for the 2026 UFL Championship.

Sports

USMNT Opens FIFA World Cup 2026 With Historic 4-1 Victory Over Paraguay

Published

1 week ago

June 12, 2026

FNN SPORTS

LOS ANGELES (FNN SPORTS) — The U.S. Men’s National Team opened its FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign in impressive fashion, defeating Paraguay 4-1 before a crowd of 70,492 at Los Angeles Stadium.

Forward Folarin Balogun scored twice in the first half, while midfielder Gio Reyna added a late goal as the United States collected three points in its Group D opener and moved to the top of the standings.

The crowd was the seventh-largest ever to watch the USMNT in a FIFA World Cup match and the largest since the 1994 World Cup. The four-goal performance also marked the highest-scoring World Cup match in U.S. men’s national team history.

Fast Start Sets the Tone

The match began at a frantic pace, with both teams creating scoring opportunities in the opening minutes. Paraguay tested goalkeeper Matt Freese less than two minutes into his World Cup debut, but the Americans responded immediately.

The United States opened the scoring in the seventh minute when Paraguay midfielder Damián Bobadilla redirected a pass into his own net following a dangerous attacking sequence involving Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie.

The Americans continued to control possession and create chances, eventually doubling their lead in the 31st minute.

Balogun Makes World Cup History

Pulisic delivered a pinpoint cross into the penalty area, where Balogun finished clinically into the lower-right corner for his first FIFA World Cup goal.

Balogun struck again in first-half stoppage time after receiving a long pass from Malik Tillman. The striker fought through a challenge, beat another defender and curled a left-footed shot into the upper-left corner to give the United States a commanding 3-0 halftime lead.

The brace made Balogun the first American player to score two goals in a World Cup match since 1930.

Defense Holds Strong

Head coach Mauricio Pochettino made one lineup change from the team’s final World Cup send-off match against Germany, inserting center back Chris Richards after his recovery from an ankle injury.

Richards anchored a defense that included veteran captain Tim Ream and World Cup debutants Alex Freeman and Matt Freese. The U.S. limited Paraguay to just one shot on target throughout the match.

Paraguay’s lone goal came in the 73rd minute when Mauricio capitalized on a loose ball following a free-kick sequence to cut the deficit to 3-1.

Reyna Finishes the Job

The Americans continued pressing for a fourth goal deep into stoppage time. In the eighth minute of added time, substitute Gio Reyna received a pass from Alex Freeman, turned toward goal and curled a brilliant shot into the left side of the net to seal the 4-1 victory.

The United States outshot Paraguay 16-9 and dominated much of the match while allowing only one shot on goal.

Group D Standings

With the victory, the United States temporarily sits atop Group D. Australia and Türkiye were scheduled to play later in the day at BC Place in Vancouver.

The Americans continue group play on June 19 in Seattle against Australia before returning to Los Angeles on June 25 to face Türkiye in the final Group D match.