IOC says looking into gesture used by US athlete Saunders on podium

Tokyo 2020 Olympics – Athletics – Women’s Shot Put – Medal Ceremony – Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, Japan – August 1, 2021. Silver medalist, Raven Saunders of the United States gestures on the podium REUTERS/Hannah Mckay

TOKYO – The International Olympic Committee is looking into the gesture used by U.S. athlete Raven Saunders on the podium after she raised her arms into an X above her head, in one of the most visible individual protests at the Games so far.

The IOC is in contact with World Athletics, the international governing body for the sport, and the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee, IOC spokesman Mark Adams told a news conference on Monday.

Saunders made the gesture on Sunday after taking her maiden Games medal in the shot put.

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