London, June 10 (IANS) The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has reportedly confirmed that the ban on athletes protesting during the multi-national event shall continue in the future as well.

Protests regarding the death of George Floyd, an African-American, has intensified and few footballers in the Bundesliga also expressed themselves on the field by paying tribute to the deceased individual.

Floyd, aged 46, died on May 25 shortly after Derek Chauvin, a police officer, held him down with a knee on his neck though he repeatedly pleaded, "I can't breathe," and "please, I can't breathe".

According to a report published in the Daily Telegraph, the IOC has pointed towards their Rule 50 guidelines and stated they want the showpiece event to be neutral.

The report further says that the IOC also confirmed that the guidelines, which were released in January, still remains in place for Tokyo Olympics despite it being postponed till next year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"No kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas," the Rule 50 guidelines developed by the IOC Athletes' Commission states.

This means that taking a knee, which was started by NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick as mark of protest against racism in the US, remains a punishable offence if done at the Olympic podium.

--IANS pks/aak/bbh/