British athletes backed by Team GB chief if they take a knee at Tokyo Olympics

The British Olympic Association will back any athlete who wishes to take a knee in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement at next year’s rescheduled Tokyo Games.

Team GB chef de mission Mark England said he feels “quite strongly” about supporting any collective decision made by Team GB members over how best to express themselves in the wake of the global protests which followed the death of American George Floyd.

Representatives of the BOA’s Athletes’ Commission have been tasked with collating feedback and reporting their findings to the equivalent body within the International Olympic Committee.

“What is important is that British athletes have the opportunity to feed into what they feel is a right and appropriate way to express that support.

“Some athletes may take the view that the field of play and the podium is sacrosanct. Some athletes may choose that actually it gives them the highest profile and therefore that is the right and appropriate place.

Having initially been criticised for appearing to suggest that protests in Tokyo would be banned under the organisation’s Rule 50, IOC president Thomas Bach announced in June a consultation process to establish how athletes can express their support “in a dignified way”.

Despite continued fears over the status of the Games in light of the continuing coronavirus pandemic, England remains confident that it will take place in such a way that its “integrity” will remain intact.

“The good news as far as the simplification process of the Games is concerned, is that the athletes and the delivery of play, and the delivery of training venues, is absolutely safeguarded,” England added.

“We are working diligently to ensure that should the Games take place – and we’re expecting them to take place – the  performance aspirations of British Olympic athletes whatever it might be, whether it’s to become the greatest Olympian of all time or whether it’s to get a top-eight placing, each and every one is equally important to us.”

Whilst the BOA’s remit has never prioritised the pursuit of funding-related targets, England nevertheless hinted at a gradual shift-change in expectations away from medal tables and towards a more subjective measure of success.

“(The Olympics) stands for something which is greater than the pursuit of medals,” England said.

“I don’t think you will ever hear a Team GB chef de mission talk about medals. What we do talk about is putting in place absolutely the best support mechanism that we can… to allow athletes to fulfil their dream, whatever that might be.”