National disgrace: In a picture from a German archive never before published in Britain, the England football team give Nazi salutes in Berlin in 1938
Posted on 08/06/2008 3:26:57 PM PDT by Stoat
Because Scotland, Wales, England and Northern Ireland are not individually represented at the games, only the Union Flag of Great Britain will be allowed inside the stadiums.
The regulation is widely believed to be aimed at preventing supporters of an independent Tibet from making political statements by waving its flag, but it will be enforced across the board.
Fans of British tennis star Andy Murray, who often wave Saltires from the stands, and cyclist Geraint Thomas, who is Welsh, are among those who will be affected.
Mr Thomas said: "It would be great to do a lap of honour draped in the Welsh flag if I win a gold medal, and I'm very disappointed if this rule means that would not be possible."
MPs have urged Gordon Brown to demand the Chinese scrap the ruling, which they say is a further example of China's human rights abuses.
Hugh Robertson, the shadow sports minister, said: "The right to wave your national flag has always been a central part of the spectator experience at every Olympic games. To see it banned now for internal political reasons contradicts an essential part of the Olympic experience and freedom of expression."
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
Beijing is certainly doing everything they need to ensure that they NEVER get to host the Olympics again.
HK Edgerton is a Man.
Comment from link,
“This is nothing to do with China’s policies and is just another bald attempt to knock the home nation. I attended the Atlanta olympics with my Welsh flag and was made to put it down on every occasion that I tried to fly it because it was not a flag of a competing nation. ~ Tim Davies”
Kind of says it all about the msm.
Kind of says it all about the msm.
Apparently such rules have been applied unevenly in previous Olympics:
No chance of Red Dragon flying at Olympics - WalesOnline
Welsh medal winning athletes and their supporters have been able to wave the Welsh flag at previous Olympics without the threat of having them confiscated.
The 2008 Chinese are about as much fun as the 1936 Germans.
EFF the commie bustards!!!
National disgrace: In a picture from a German archive never before published in Britain, the England football team give Nazi salutes in Berlin in 1938
I guess this one is right out then. It's Taiwan's btw.
The other big no no flag....Tibet's
Northern Ireland flags issue - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Agreed.
Oh well, this is one Olympics Im not going to watch (besides, Ive never been into the summer Olympics, anyway).
Same for myself. and I'm seeing similar sentiments almost universally expressed throughout the reader comment areas in the linked and related articles. Many cite their revulsion over the iron commie bootheel being brought down upon the necks of people who are merely wanting to have a friendly sporting competition but are instead treated with what many consider to be a far cry from friendliness on the part of their hosts.
These people are talking about taking a victory lap wrapped in their constituent nation’s flag. They are not there to represent Wales, or England, or Scotland, or whatever. They’re their to represent Great Britain. They can represent their constituent nation at the Commonwealth games....
Something vaguely related to Ireland ping!
Most of our athletes are going to be barely competing anyway, I wouldn’t bother making the trip really lads...
But yes, a little strict!
Well, considering the leftist, pro-Communist orientation of Scots and Welsh nationalists, this has got to hurt.
These Olympics are going to be a PR nightmare for Chinese communist propaganda.
I expect a big event to happen early in the games if not during the Opening Ceremonies Friday.
These games are going to drive home the point that despite some economic freedoms, China is still a ruthless despotic boot stomping police state, where human political rights and basic human rights are denied openly.
Despite open economic trade, China is not only still an enemy of the world but a hostile enemy of their own people.
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