LAUSANNE, Switzerland — No taking a knee at the Olympics. No hand gestures with political meaning. No disrespect at medal ceremonies.

The International Olympic Committee published guidelines Thursday specifying which types of athlete protests will not be allowed at the 2020 Tokyo Games.

Athletes are prohibited by the Olympic Charter’s Rule 50 from taking a political stand in the field of play – like the raised fists by American sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos at the 1968 Mexico City Games.

Today’s Olympians now know more about which acts of “divisive disruption” will lead to disciplinary action in Tokyo. They can still express political opinions in official media settings or on social media accounts.

“We needed clarity and they wanted clarity on the rules,” said Kirsty Coventry, chair of the IOC Athletes’ Commission, which oversaw the new three-page document. “The majority of athletes feel it is very important that we respect each other as athletes.”

Coventry, an Olympic gold medalist in swimming, is now Zimbabwe’s sports minister.

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Athletes who break protest rules at the July 24-Aug. 9 Tokyo Games face three rounds of disciplinary action – by the IOC, a sport’s governing body and a national Olympic body.

The new guidelines come after two American athletes were reprimanded by the U.S. Olympic Committee for medal podium protests at the Pan-American Games in August in Lima, Peru. Fencer Race Imboden kneeled and hammer thrower Gwen Berry raised a fist in protest. Both were put on probation for 12 months, a period that covers the Tokyo Olympics.

DOPING: Russia’s four-year Olympic ban for manipulating doping data is heading to sport’s highest court.

The World Anti-Doping Agency said it has formally referred the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport after Russia confirmed last month it will appeal the sanction.

WADA imposed a package of sanctions including banning Russia’s name and flag from the Olympics and world championship events in various sports over four years.

There are also restrictions on Russia hosting some major events, and plans to vet Russian athletes who want to compete at major competitions, barring them if they’re implicated in doping cover-ups.

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The next stage is for WADA and Russia to each select one of the three CAS arbitrators to hear the case. Those two then select a third judge to lead the panel.

2020 GAMES: One of the creative directors for this year’s Tokyo Olympics has resigned following allegations of what are being termed “power harassment.”

Kaoru Sugano stepped away from the position last month and his resignation was confirmed by the Tokyo organizing committee.

Tokyo organizers said Sugano had been disciplined for conduct at his employer Dentsu, the giant Japanese advertising and marketing agency that is handling much of the promotion for the Tokyo Olympics.

Organizers said in a statement that the resignation will have “no impact” on the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympics or Paralympics.

• Tokyo Olympic athletes beware – particularly larger ones.

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The bed frames in the Athletes Village at this year’s Olympics will be made of cardboard. Sturdy cardboard.

“Those beds can stand up to 200 kilograms,” said Takashi Kitajima, the general manager of the Athletes Village, speaking through an interpreter.

Surely no Olympic athlete weighs that much.

“They are stronger than wooden beds,” Kitajima said.

He also took into account the possibility of a wild room celebration after, say, a gold-medal victory.

“Of course, wood and cardboard would each break if you jumped on them,” he said.

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The single bed frames will be recycled into paper products after the games. The mattress components – the mattresses are not made of cardboard – will be recycled into plastic products.

The mattress is broken up into three distinct sections, and the firmness of each can be adjusted.

The idea was to use materials that could be remade after the Olympics and Paralympics. But the cardboard frames and supports should give the rooms a spartan look.

Organizers showed off the beds and a few other furnishings at their headquarters. The entire Athletes Village complex will be completed in June.


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