Protecting The Broadcasting Rights Owners, IOC Bans Anyone From Sharing Olympic Videos On Social Media

Elaine Thompson-Herah (Twitter @tokyo2020)

JAKARTA - Sharing videos of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics on social media is not allowed even if athletes do so, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said on Thursday. This step is taken to protect broadcasting rights owners.

Jamaican two-time gold medalist sprinter Elaine Thompson-Herah was briefly blocked by Instagram yesterday after posting videos of her victories in the 100 and 200 meters to her 310.000 followers for violating Olympic broadcasting rights.

A Facebook spokesperson later said that apart from the content from Instagram being removed, the suspension was wrong.

"We encourage people, we encourage everyone, to share still photos, but the video clearly belongs to the rights holders", said IOC spokesman Mark Adams.

The IOC will secure more than USD 4 billion in broadcast rights for a period that includes the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics and the Tokyo Olympics, much of it going back to the Olympics and in support of sports and athletes.

The lion's share of the money came from US television station NBCUniversal, which has paid USD 7.65 billion to extend the Olympics broadcast rights to 2032 in the US.

Adams said 90 percent of the broadcaster's revenue earned by the IOC was funneled back. "The money goes to the IOC. We have to protect their rights and therefore, the income we can channel back to athletes and sport".

Social media is increasingly becoming the primary way for spectators to engage with these Olympics.

This year, athletes posted viral TikTok videos from behind the scenes, including jumping on their much-discussed cardboard beds to refute claims the beds are not strong enough to withstand strenuous activity and are, therefore "anti-sex".

However, there are copyright and other restrictions that certain online content from this Olympics may be posted.