Strict rules banning the display of certain symbols at the Beijing Olympics will mean Northern Ireland supporters will not be able to wave their national flag at the events, it was claimed today.
No, it’s not being introduced to prevent Barry McElduff from spontaneously combusting…and it doesn’t just cover Northern Ireland:
Amnesty International claims the measure has been introduced to ensure no flags of Chinese-governed Tibet are displayed by independence campaigners. However, the human rights group said it will have consequences for other national flags as well.
The Republic and United Kingdom are represented by the Tricolour and the Union flag, respectively, but Northern Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales are not members in their own right.
The fact is that sportsmen representing the United Kingdom are, well, representing the United Kingdom not their individual country; still, this is quite a ridiculous ruling, but totally in keeping with how the Chinese dictatorship’s control freaks are attempting to ruin the true spirit of the Olympics. If a Northern Irish sportsman does win a medal (and we generally, perhaps not surprisingly, don’t do too badly in both the boxing and the shooting disclipines), they should be allowed to drape themselves in the Union flag, the Northern Irish one or the Jolly Roger for that matter.
Anyway, if the Chinese authorities do happen by any small chance to be reading, here’s another flag for you to put in your pipes and smoke:
3 comments:
O'Neill
Clearly we're on the same general wavelength on this one. But don't you think some sort of regulation is required to make the games as apolitical as possible? That was why I sought refuge in the idea of "official" or "accepted" flags. Is there such a flag for Northern Ireland? I had thought not.
But don't you think some sort of regulation is required to make the games as apolitical as possible?
Possibly, but I'd be much happier if such regulation came from the IOC rather than the Chinese dictatorship; the moment the games were awarded to China, the chance of them being apolitical disappeared.
That was why I sought refuge in the idea of "official" or "accepted" flags. Is there such a flag for Northern Ireland? I had thought not.
There isn't an "official" flag for NI; the Ulster Banner is used to represent the country at football etc but (afaik) it has no official status. Regarding "acceptable" flags..probably the closest would be the Cross of St patrick which is used quite often on a cross-community basis.
PErsonally I don't see what's wrong with celebrating a gold medal with y ddraig goch if you're Welsh (for example); at the end of the day, the all important flag /medal ceremony will display the Union Jack, and the athlete will shed a tear or two to "God Save the Queen".
The real beef is that China is such an oppressive place, not even allowing an opinion such as I belong to a certain identity (such as being Welsh or Tibetan), and should not have been awarded the Olympics without definite assurances that it had indeed cleaned up with its human rights abuses.
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