Thread: Gloves off over boxing kangaroo dispute

Gloves off over boxing kangaroo dispute
Lindy Kerin
February 5, 2010


'Inappropriate': The IOC wants the boxing kangaroo flags taken down
(AFP)

The International Olympic Committee's (IOC) move to ban the boxing kangaroo flag from the Winter Games village in Vancouver has been called scandalous, ridiculous and infantile.

The Australian team has been asked to remove the flag because it has been deemed inappropriate, but that request has drawn some angry responses.

The boxing kangaroo is still flying high over an apartment block in the Olympic Village in Vancouver - but its days might be numbered. The International Olympic Committee says the flag is too commercial.

Chef de Mission with the Australian team, Ian Chesterman, says the IOC wants it taken down.

"We thought it was appropriate but they didn't agree with that because it's a commercial trademark - and being quite strict on commercial trademarks at this games - they said to us please take it down," he said.

Mr Chesterman says the flag will only be taken down when the IOC provides a written request.

"We're hoping to keep it up there. I think the people around Vancouver are getting right behind it too," he said.

"I walk into the village and get a great sense from the police and the officials and from other competitors and coaches saying 'hey, that looks fantastic' and then you say to somebody 'I think we might have to take it down' and they say that would be a great shame."

The boxing kangaroo became Australia's sporting symbol in 1983 when it was used in the successful America's Cup.

John Longley was part of the crew.

"It was an image that we created, to be a symbol for what we stood for, which was the red gloves. It used to have a red eye and the puffed up chest and so forth. It was aggressive, we're taking the world on," he said.

The Australian Olympic Committee has since bought the trademark and now the boxing kangaroo is seen among crowds at Olympic and Commonwealth Games and other major sporting events.

'Too controlling'

Mr Longley says the IOC just doesn't get it.

"The IOC are one of the most controlling organisations on the planet and they look after their commercial interests with absolute rigid situations," he said.

"I understand them doing it, but the reason that they've done it is because they don't get it.

"Maybe if someone explained to them what the flag was, then maybe they would understand that it ... is Australia's sporting flag. That's what it's become."

Olympic gold medallist Kieran Perkins says the International Olympic Committee's request to have the roo removed is disappointing.

"I think it's one of those classic sporting tales - men in blazers who love nothing more than to wield the voluntary power they have received and athletes who think they should have the right to look after themselves the way they want to, butting heads," he said.

Perkins says for some athletes, sporting symbols like the boxing kangaroo can be a source of motivation.

"For me it was more about what you were wearing when you pull on that jumper, or you've got that pair of swimmers and the cap on, that has those symbols," he said.

"Those things to me were the real gee-up moments. Whereas what's hanging off the walls didn't tend to bother me too much.

"But that's me personally. I do know though that there are guys that really do find those sorts of symbols awe inspiring. It can be extremely beneficial."

Perkins says for the sake of the games the Australians should obey the request if the IOC does provide a written request.

"The last thing you want to do is distract the athletes from what really matters - which is their preparation and competition - with infantile arguments over a flag that's been hung outside the building," he said.

"I do think that one of the issues you always get in these sorts of scenarios is with the personalities involved.

"If it turns out that the person from the IOC who made the complaint is particularly stubborn or dogged about the issue, then it can blow up into something which becomes a distraction.

"At the end of the day that is unnecessary and only going to disadvantage our athletes."

Nobody from the IOC was available for comment.

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When one takes all the emotion out of it one can see why they do not want flags hanging all over the foking place.

I mean fok me punters, the building would look like an Indians shit house covered in foking shite if every bastard and his dog was allowed to hang shit out side the building.

Some bastard might want to hang a picture of Aunties 3 massive cocks on the front of the building and we all know he has 3 cocks because he could not be that silly pulling only one, but I digress.

Say a big fok you to flag hangers.

All the best punters and cheers.

When one takes all the emotion out of it one can see why they do not want flags hanging all over the foking place.

that[s simply your opinion , if it was the IOC's rational then why didn't they say so ?

the stated reason from the IOC was that it's too commercial

Australians under pressure to take down 'boxing kangaroo' flag from village
Stephen Wilson (CP)

VANCOUVER, B.C. — Australian Olympic officials say they will take down a giant "boxing kangaroo" flag from the Vancouver athletes' village if they receive an official request from the IOC.

The green and gold flag, which depicts a red-gloved cartoon kangaroo, has been hanging from a balcony from the Australian team's living area in the village since Sunday.

The Australian Olympic Committee said an IOC official asked that the flag be removed because it is too commercial and a registered trademark.

AOC spokesman Mike Tancred said Friday the Australians have refused to take it down, but will oblige if they get a written request from the International Olympic Committee.

"If they want us to take it down, we'll take it down," he told The Associated Press.

IOC spokesman Mark Adams said the committee is looking into the issue and hopes to have a decision "within the next few days."

Tancred said the flag has been displayed at all recent Olympics as a mascot for the Australian team and had not been a problem until now. He said the flag has been hugely popular with athletes of all nationalities in the Vancouver village.

Although the flag is a registered trademark, Tancred said it is not being used for commercial purposes in Canada.

"There must be a misunderstanding," he said. "We have no intention or capability of selling anything. We would never go to an Olympic Games and ambush somebody else's sponsors."

The boxing kangaroo flag was originally flown from the Australian yacht which won the America's Cup in 1983. It is now a registered trademark and used by the AOC to promote sport and fair play in schools in Australia.

Commercial imagery is not allowed at Olympic venues. National flags are usually the only banners permitted and are commonly displayed in the athletes' villages.

Australia is also awaiting a ruling on it appeal to allow its 2-women bobsled team to compete at the Vancouver Games.

The AOC is seeking to gain a berth for Astrid Loch-Wilkinson and Cecilia McIntosh after the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (FIBT) decided not to award a place to any team from the Oceania region.

The Court of Arbitration, which has set up a special panel in Vancouver to hear any games-related disputes, agreed to hear the case. A hearing, originally scheduled for Saturday, has been postponed until Monday, Tancred said.

The women's bobsled events start Feb. 23.

Australia was the top-ranked nation in Oceania, and the AOC said the pair met the minimum qualification standards imposed by the FIBT.

google.com

I think every Aussie who goes to the games should see it as a national duty to buy the biggest Fighting Roos flag they can and display it prominently at every event their country is contesting.

easy solution

deregister it as a trademark

but oh noes , too many felchers leaching money from it.

fuck ya terry! i gots a ferkin bewt flagpole and i fly me flag every day when i,m home and when i,m not its me jolly roger keeping an eye on the place..and come the footy season.. the MIGHTY LIONS will flying proudly up there too mate

A view of the controversial Boxing Kangaroo flag

AFP: Aussies defiant over 'Boxing Kangaroo'

Aussie kangaroo flag wins bout with IOC

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) -- Australians can hop for joy: Their boxing kangaroo is safe for the Vancouver Olympics.

The International Olympic Committee ruled Sunday that the giant kangaroo flag -- the mascot for the Australian team -- can remain displayed in the athletes' village for the duration of this month's games.

The green and gold flag, which depicts a red-gloved cartoon kangaroo, has been hanging from a balcony from the Australian team's living area in the village since last Sunday.

The Australians had been under pressure to take it down because it was deemed too commercial and a registered trademark.

Australian Olympic Committee chief John Coates discussed the issue with IOC president Jacques Rogge, who then sent him a letter confirming the flag could stay.

"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.

"It will stay up the entire Olympics. It means a lot to our athletes."
Coates said the AOC was told to register the kangaroo mascot with the IOC for use at future games.

"The IOC didn't request that the flag should come down," Coates said. "They wanted to talk about it, and we talked about it. We acknowledge we'll need to deal with it in a more formal way in the future."

The flag has been displayed by the Australians since the Sydney 2000 Olympics and had not been a problem until now, Coates said.

"The world moves on, and we need to move and just cross the T's and dot the I's," he said.

Commercial imagery is not allowed at Olympic venues. National flags are usually the only banners permitted and are commonly displayed in the athletes' villages.

"We were not trying to ambush (local organizing committee) VANOC or the IOC with any licensed goods here," Coates said.

The boxing kangaroo flag was originally flown from the Australian yacht which won the America's Cup in 1983. It is now a registered trademark and used by the AOC to promote sport and fair play in schools in Australia.

Australia already has two registered Olympic emblems: a coat of arms with the Olympic rings that is displayed on athletes' uniforms, and the Australian flag with the Olympic rings.

nbcolympics.com

Looks like commonsense has prevailed then. Much ado about nothing really, the IOC being a bit pratish.

Under their stated rational that it was "too commercial and a registered trademark" that would also exclude other flags like the NZ silver fern.