First it was the Breton flag. Thierry Le Sommer denounced that the Olympic Games direction forbid him to display the Gwen-ha-Du (White and Black, popular name of Brittany's flag) at the Glasgow Stadium. Her sister was playing with the French team against the USA team. In an uncharacteristically intolerant gesture, the olympic organizing committee said that only nations with olympic teams may show their flags—including the audience at the stadiums. The next case was one concerning the ikurriña (name of the Basque flag). This flag was displayed by a couple of people in the stadium when the Basque athlete Maialen Chorraut won a medal. Once again the organizers had the flag removed.
How can the banning of flags promote the Olympic ideal of friendship? Is this what friendship is about? First, you begin banning flags, then the language people speak, and before you know it, you begin alienating indigenous peoples. Even though some of us do not identify with an independent nation, does this mean we don't have the same rights as others?
Catalan isn't even listed as a language spoken by the Catalan athletes on the official London2012 website.
If Catalonia doesn't have independence by the next Olympics, I think the athletes of Spanish dependencies who don't see themselves as Spanish should compete as Independent Olympic Athletes.
It's incredible! They are narrow minded.
I like a lot the post that you published. You are doing an excellent work!
Apparently, there was a change of mind by the organization. However, the damage was already done.