Team BLM, known by some as the U.S. women's soccer team, had its gold medal dreams dashed on Sunday with a 1-0 loss to Canada in the semifinals at the woke Olympics in Japan.
The next time Team BLM takes a knee it will be in the bronze medal match against Australia on Aug. 5. Canada and Sweden play for the gold.
Meanwhile, biological male Laurel Hubbard of New Zealand crashed out of the competition after failing to record a single successful lift in women’s +87kg weightlifting.
The U.S. women's soccer team's loss is only the second time it has not qualified for the Olympic final since the sport was added in 1996. It was Team BLM's first loss to Canada since 2001.
Canada’s Jessie Fleming converted on a penalty shot in the 75th minute for the game's only score.
The U.S. team looked more astute in politics than soccer during Olympic play, critics say. The team lost 3-0 in its opening match to Sweden, beat New Zealand and then tied with Australia to barely make the knockout stage. The U.S. needed penalties to defeat the Netherlands before playing Canada.
The weightlifting competition ended early for the 43-year-old Hubbard, who failed to lift 120kg and followed with two failed efforts at 125kg.
“I’m not entirely unaware of the controversy which surrounds my participation at these Games,” said Hubbard after exiting the competition. “And as such, I would particularly like to thank the IOC, for I think really affirming its commitment to the principles of Olympism and establishing that sport is something for all people, that it is inclusive and is accessible.”
In the days before Hubbard’s appearance at the event, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) reaffirmed its full support of transgender athletes when medical director Richard Budgett declared “transwomen are women” and should be included in women’s sport “when we possibly can.”
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said it is investigating a medal ceremony gesture made by silver medal-winning U.S. shot putter Raven Saunders, who reached skywards and crossed her arms in an “X” above her head Sunday in self-proclaimed support of all “oppressed peoples.”
Asked what she meant by the gesture, Saunders explained to the Associated Press: ”It’s the intersection of where all people who are oppressed meet.”
The IOC said the display was in clear defiance of the ban on medal ceremony protests.
The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee said before the games it will not sanction its athletes for protesting.
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