Shanju Bao, left, and Tianshi Zhong, of China, celebrate their gold medals during a ceremony for the track cycling women's team sprint finals.
Shanju Bao, left, and Tianshi Zhong, of China, celebrate their gold medals during a ceremony for the track cycling women's team sprint finals.
Shanju Bao, left, and Tianshi Zhong, of China, celebrate their gold medals during a ceremony for the track cycling women's team sprint finals.
Shanju Bao, left, and Tianshi Zhong, of China, celebrate their gold medals during a ceremony for the track cycling women's team sprint finals.

IOC suspends protest probe into grieving Saunders while Mao case continues


  • English
  • Arabic

The International Olympic Committee said on Wednesday it is still waiting for a formal explanation from the Chinese Olympic officials as to why two gold medallists wore badges featuring the head of the country's former leader Mao Zedong on the podium at the Tokyo Olympics.

The IOC also said it had suspended its investigation into a gesture on the podium by American silver medallist shot-putter Raven Saunders, following the death of the athlete's mother.

The Chinese Olympic Committee has said they will provide a report "soon" and assured the IOC there would be no repeat of its athletes wearing the badges.

"We are in contact with the Chinese Olympic Committee who have assured us that we will receive a full formal answer soon," IOC spokesperson Mark Adams said. "But they have also assured us already that this will not happen again."

Cyclists Bao Shanju and Zhong Tianshi wore the badges featuring the head of China's former leader during a medal ceremony on Monday, in a potential breach of Olympic rules on the display of political paraphernalia.

The duo wore the badges, commonplace in China for half a century but a potential breach of Rule 50 of the Olympic charter, after retaining the women's cycling team sprint title at the Izu Velodrome.

While the IOC last month relaxed Rule 50 to allow gestures, such as taking the knee on the field of play provided athletes do so without disruption and with respect for fellow competitors, it has banned any such gestures on the podium.

Earlier this week, the IOC said it was investigating after shot put silver medallist Saunders had raised her arms in an X above her head in Sunday's medal ceremony, which she later indicated was an expression of support for the oppressed.

Silver medallist, Raven Saunders of the United States gestures on the podium at the medal ceremony for the women's shot put.
Silver medallist, Raven Saunders of the United States gestures on the podium at the medal ceremony for the women's shot put.

The IOC said that investigation had been suspended for now.

"We heard the very sad news this morning of the passing of Raven Saunders' mother," Adams said. "The IOC extends its condolences to Raven and her family. You will understand that given these circumstances the process is fully suspended for the time being."

The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee said Saunders' gesture did not breach its rules as it was a "peaceful expression in support of racial and social justice [that] was respectful of her competitors".

MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW

Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman

Director: Jesse Armstrong

Rating: 3.5/5

History's medical milestones

1799 - First small pox vaccine administered

1846 - First public demonstration of anaesthesia in surgery

1861 - Louis Pasteur published his germ theory which proved that bacteria caused diseases

1895 - Discovery of x-rays

1923 - Heart valve surgery performed successfully for first time

1928 - Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin

1953 - Structure of DNA discovered

1952 - First organ transplant - a kidney - takes place 

1954 - Clinical trials of birth control pill

1979 - MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, scanned used to diagnose illness and injury.

1998 - The first adult live-donor liver transplant is carried out

The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

At a glance

Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.

 

Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year

 

Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month

 

Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30 

 

Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse

 

Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth

 

Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances

Panipat

Director Ashutosh Gowariker

Produced Ashutosh Gowariker, Rohit Shelatkar, Reliance Entertainment

Cast Arjun Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, Kriti Sanon, Mohnish Behl, Padmini Kolhapure, Zeenat Aman

Rating 3 /stars

Updated: August 04, 2021, 5:58 AM`