Lebron’s media company claims Olympic limits on protesting is ‘silencing voices’

While competing in the Tokyo Olympics on Team USA is apparently beneath LeBron James, that doesn’t mean the NBA’s prima-donna left-wing star player can’t criticize the International Olympic Committee.

Well, at least, a media company founded by the elitist player, Uninterrupted, did, taking exception to a rule limiting political protests at the games.

Taking to Twitter, the company pushed the oppression theme in a message claiming this was “silencing” athletes’ voices.

“Rule 50 is a rule in the Olympic Charter that bans any kind of demonstration and prohibits any opinionated political, religious or racial propaganda at the Olympic site in 2021,” the message read. “The only time an athlete is able to speak freely is at press conferences and to the media, but not on the Olympic podium when the world is watching.”

“Simply put, we see this as a way of silencing voices, and as advocates for Athlete empowerment, we take a stand against it,” the notice continued. “Sport is not neutral. When athletes speak up – whether from a stadium, gymnasium, or track – they start conversations and things change.”

“Give athletes the chance to show up fully and to make change,” it concluded.

The NBA has seen its ratings crater after last year’s full embrace of the violent Black Lives Matter movement. MLB and the NFL appear to be equally determined to follow suit, opting to risk going broke to be woke. So why not ruin the Olympics, too?

As for James, the last time we saw him he was pushing his own brand of booze while sitting courtside to watch Game 5 of the NBA Finals, since his team, the Los Angeles Lakers, had already been eliminated — perhaps, a little more attention on dribbling and less on concocted social justice issues would have made a difference.

Has an NBA player ousted from the playoffs ever done such a thing? One might think their pride and the sting from not making it to the Finals would prevent such a stunt.

The IOC extended more guidelines on athletes’ freedom of expression at the Tokyo Games earlier this month, but barred political gestures during official ceremonies, competition and in the Olympic Village, according to Fox News.

More from the network:

Athletes will be allowed to express a political gesture prior to the start of a competition or during their introduction or the introduction of the team. However, the gesture must meet four different criteria.

The gesture has to be consistent with the “Fundamental Principles of Olympism,” cannot be targeted at a certain people, country or organization, cannot be disruptive and cannot already be banned by a nation’s own Olympic committee or federation.

“When expressing their views, athletes are expected to respect the applicable laws, the Olympic values and their fellow athletes. It should be recognized that any behavior and/or expression that constitutes or signals discrimination, hatred, hostility or the potential for violence on any basis whatsoever is contrary to the Fundamental Principles of Olympism,” the IOC said.

 

One thing seems certain, fans are quickly tiring of the political grandstanding by privileged athletes in the sports world.

Here’s a sampling of the responses to the story from Twitter:

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