IOC Won't Ask US Goalies to Change Mask

The International Olympic Committee views the image as a possible violation of its policy against political symbols

United States goaltenders Alex Rigsby and Nicole Hensley will not have to cover the Statue of Liberty image on their current helmet in order to meet IOC guidelines.

Rule 50 of the Olympic Charter states: “No kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas.”

The IOC expanded upon its stance and reasoning for Rule 50 prior to the Rio Games. One of the key points from page 10 of the IOC Guidelines Regarding Authorized Identifications: “No Item may feature the wording or lyrics from national anthems, motivational words, public/political messaging or slogans.”

However, a United States spokesman confirmed that the masks in question do not violate the guidelines.

The issue came up during the 2014 Olympics when American goalie Jessie Vetter had to remove an image of the U.S. Constitution. In 2010, Ryan Miller had to remove the words “Miller time" and Jonathan Quick needed to cover up “Support Our Troops” slogan.

During the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics, the IOC also asked Canadian-born South Korean goalie Matt Dalton to remove a tribute to a 16th-century Korean admiral.

 
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