Brazil furious at gold medal football stars' snub

The Brazilian Olympic Committee volition instrumentality enactment against its men's shot nationalist squad aft the players refused to deterioration the nation's authoritative Olympic azygous during the medal ceremonial astatine the Tokyo Games connected Saturday.

The committee released a connection connected Sunday condemning cognition of the players and the Brazilian shot confederation aft the squad bushed Spain successful the last to triumph gold.

"After the extremity of the Games the Brazilian Olympic Committee volition marque nationalist the measures that volition beryllium taken to sphere the rights of the Olympic movement, of our sponsors and of different athletes," the committee said.

All athletes successful the Brazilian delegation had been told successful beforehand they had to deterioration the team's IOC-approved authoritative uniform, which is provided by Chinese institution Peak Sport, but the players went to the podium wearing their Nike jerseys. Only their pants were portion of the Peak uniform. Their jackets were tied astir their waists.

Gold medallists Dani Alves and Richarlison of Team Brazil, with Peak jackets astir their waist. (NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Players told Brazilian media they were lone pursuing orders from the Brazilian shot confederation, which had not instantly made an authoritative comment. Some reports said the confederation was not alert of the request that athletes had to deterioration the authoritative Team Brazil azygous connected the podium.

Brazilian swimmer Bruno Fratus, a bronze medalist successful the 50m successful Tokyo, said it "was a wide message" that shot players don't consciousness portion of the Olympic squad and don't truly attraction astir it.

"They are besides wholly disconnected and alienated to the consequences that this whitethorn bring to the galore athletes who are not millionaires similar them," helium said connected Twitter.

Not pursuing the rules could make problems for the Brazilian Olympic Committee with its existent and aboriginal contracts with Peak oregon different sportswear companies. Team Brazil utilized Nike uniforms successful the 2012 and 2016 Olympics.

Brazil observe connected the podium with their golden medals aft the men's shot competition. (NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Former Brazilian openwater swimmer Poliana Okimoto, a bronze medalist successful 2016 successful Rio de Janeiro, besides criticized the shot team.

"One of the basal concepts of sports is discipline," she said connected Twitter. "Following rules shouldn't beryllium that hard. What the shot squad did, not wearing the authoritative azygous connected the podium, wasn't bully for Brazil's image. It's the Brazilian Olympic Committee that volition beryllium punished, not the Brazilian shot federation."

It was the 2nd consecutive Olympic golden medal for Brazil's men's shot team. Before that, it had ne'er won the Olympic title.

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