The IOC might ask the women to change their masks to something “more neutral” than an image of a bald eagle and the Statue of Liberty.
My suggestion: Maybe a pic of Otto Warmbier dragged off in chains by N. Korean guards.
Team USA women’s hockey goalies Nicole Hensley and Alex Rigsby are playing in the 2018 Winter Olympics wearing goaltender masks with a patriotic design. It includes an American-themed shield, a bald eagle and an image of the Statue of Liberty.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) says that runs afoul of their rules. Hensley and Rigsbymay be told to change their masks to something more neutral, according to reports.
The IOC has guidelines for what athletes can do with their uniforms, including, “No item may feature the wording or lyrics from national anthems, motivational words, public/political messaging or slogans related to national identity.”
“Political messaging” — that’s one thing. But in the Olympics, where athletes represent countries from around the world and we keep tabs on the national medal count, it seems a tad incongruous to outlaw “slogans related to national identity.”….
IOC is saying now that it was a “misunderstanding.”
The team should just say NO, and let the hockey pucks fall where they may. And, has President Trump weighed in?
Maybe NBC spoke to IOC. NBC has contract for U.S. TV rights through 2032. Paid billions of dollars for that. One reason why IOC & world likes that is, NBC paying Large allows IOC to accept much smaller broadcast pymts from rest of world.