BRITISH ATHLETE Dina Asher-Smith condemned the organisers of the Tokyo Olympics from preventing athletes from protesting during the games.

Following the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to backtrack on their reinforcement of Rule 50 which states “no kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas,” the Olympic star said they had “no choice” regarding the change of decision.

Her comments came after organisers attempted to ban athletes from taking the knee during this years games and although confirming whether she would do so herself or not, she said that “protesting and expressing yourself” is a “fundamental human right”.

The British sprinter, who is due to compete in the 100 and 200 metres, believes the decision would have brought the games bad publicity and that there would have been “loads of athlete protests at the Games and it would have been very embarrassing for them” if the regulation had stayed in place.

“If you were to penalise someone for standing up against racial inequality, how on earth would that go -how on earth are you going to enforce that?” she continued.

“Would you revoke someone’s medal for saying racism is wrong? But I think it’s good they have lifted it. How would you police that, particularly when people feel so strongly about that right now?

“Also, if you were to penalise someone or revoke a medal, how would that go optically?”

The debate around taking the knee has heightened in the aftermath of England’s defeat against Italy in the Euro 2020 final.

Leaving a ban on protest in place, would have led to controversy for the Tokyo Olympics, believes Asher-Smith.

“I did see it as completely unenforceable and I think they had no choice but to lift it otherwise they would have been faced with loads of athlete protests at the Games and it would have been very embarrassing for them,” she said.

“Unless they want to say they are against people being against racism I didn’t see how that was going to happen.”

She added: “Some of the Olympics’ most iconic moments have been the black power salute by Tommie Smith in 1968,” she said.

“That is something people remember the Olympics for, something they’re very proud to see at the Olympic Games.

“So to think they’re suddenly going to get up and say ‘absolutely not’ – I think they’d be shooting themselves in the foot.”