International Olympic chiefs on Monday warned athletes against wearing symbols of mourning for lost loved ones during competitions at the Sochi 2014 Games.
|Last Updated: Feb 10, 2014, 08:46 PM IST|Source: AFP
Sochi: International Olympic chiefs on Monday warned athletes against wearing symbols of mourning for lost loved ones during competitions at the Sochi 2014 Games.
Freestyle skiers and snowboarders have reportedly been banned from wearing tributes on their kit to Canadian freestyle skier Sarah Burke, who died after a halfpipe training accident in the United States 2012.
Norway`s female cross-country skiing team, including skiathlon Olympic champion Marit Bjoergen, wore black armbands in tribute to the brother of teammate Astrid Uhrenholdt Jacobsen, who died on the eve of the Games.
International Olympic Committee (IOC) spokesman Mark Adams said the IOC understood the motivations behind the athletes` gestures and was prepared to help organise commemorative events.
But he said it was not appropriate to display such symbols during competition.
Asked why athletes were not being allowed to remember Burke on their helmets and kit, he said: "We would say that the competitions themselves are not the right place to do this."
"But we want to help hold any kind of remembrance. It is not about the rule, it is a question of what is appropriate," he added.
Norwegian media have said the IOC sent a letter to the Norwegian Olympic Committee reminding it that the cross-country skiers should not have worn black armbands.
But Adams said the issue was now closed.
"I know we sent a letter to the Norwegian Olympic Committee but that is the end of the matter."
Canada`s Burke had been seen as a top medal contender for Sochi and her death sent shockwaves through the tightly knit freestyle skiing community.
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.