Australia Banner Controversy
A giant banner hung from the Village by members of the Australian team attracted controversy in early February 2010 when a member of the International Olympic Committee toured the site and expressed concern that it might contravene policy, as the banner is not the flag of Australia but rather depicts a kangaroo wearing boxing gloves. Former Australian deputy prime minister (now Prime Minister) Julia Gillard called the request for the banner's removal a disgrace. According to a representative of the Australian team, the flag has been at every Olympic Village since the 2000 Games in Sydney. The image had flown from the victorious Australian yacht in the 1983 America's Cup and is now a mascot of Australia's Olympic teams; the Australian Olympic Committee owns the image's trademark. After IOC president Jacques Rogge discussed the issue with John Coates, chief of the AOC, it was confirmed that the flag could remain at the Olympic Village. "While the IOC is of the view that the display of the boxing kangaroo at the Olympic village is a breach of the IOC rules relating to clean venues, the IOC is not going to request us to take down the boxing kangaroo flag on this occasion," Coates said. The AOC was required to register the image with the IOC. The controversy sparked a demand for a version of the boxing-kangaroo flag at a Vancouver flag shop.
Read more about this topic: 2010 Olympic Village
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