Brazilian Military Salute Causes Controversy at Pan American Games

07/16/2015 - 09h25

The Olympic Committee of Brazil (COB, in its Portuguese acronym) defended on Wednesday (15) the military salute performed by Brazilian athletes at the Pan American games. The COB said that the salute is a military rule and an expression of patriotism.

The salute was performed by athletes who are also members of the armed forces. It was seen principally on the judo podiums, where it generated most controversy, but there are also military athletes in swimming, rowing and badminton, amongst other events.

Members of the armed forces have so far won 19 of Brazil's 47 medals at the games. In total, 123 military athletes are at Pan Am Games, a fifth of Brazil's team. In Guadalajara, in 2011, there were 70, 13% of the total.

"Saluting the flag is what they [the armed forces] recommend, and we're proud of doing it. We did the initiation in there. We're defending the spirit of militarism," said the judoka Mayra Aguiar, third-sergeant of the navy since 2010.

The inclusion of military athletes increased in the buildup to the Military World Games in Rio, in 2011. Athletes who are members of the army, navy or air force receive military support, including a monthly salary of, on average, R$2300 (USD$732).

The athletes participate in military training for a week every six months. Aguiar, who was a silver medalist at Pan, learnt to shoot, while judoka Luciano Correa, who won gold, did jungle survival training.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) forbids political expression at Olympic ceremonies, a rule replicated at Pan. However, the COB denies that the salute represents an ideological position, considering it merely an expression of patriotism.

Translated by TOM GATEHOUSE

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