Posted on 05/16/2004 4:14:05 AM PDT by tjwmason
Fear of a hostile reaction has led US officials to warn its participants in the Games against overtly patriotic displays
By Simon Hart in New York
(Filed: 16/05/2004)
American athletes have been warned not to wave the US flag during their medal celebrations at this summer's Olympic Games in Athens for fear of provoking crowd hostility and harming the country's already battered public image.
The spectacle of victorious athletes grabbing a national flag and parading it around the stadium is a familiar part of international sporting competition, but US Olympic officials have ordered their 550-strong team to exercise restraint and avoid any jingoistic behaviour.
The plan is part of a charm offensive aimed at repairing the country's international reputation following the deepening crisis in Iraq and damaging revelations of torture and mistreatment of detainees by US forces at the Abu Ghraib prison.
"American athletes find themselves in extraordinary circumstances in Athens in relation to the world as we know it right now," said Mike Moran, a veteran former spokesman for the US Olympic Committee who has been retained as a consultant to advise athletes about the correct way to behave.
"Regardless of whether there is anti-American sentiment in Athens or not, the world watches Americans a lot now in terms of how they behave and our culture. What I am trying to do with the athletes and coaches is to suggest to them that they consider how the normal things they do at an event, including the Olympics, might be viewed as confrontational or insulting or cause embarrassment."
Four years ago, at the Sydney Olympics, the victorious American 4 x 100m relay team were widely condemned for their arrogant strutting with the US flag following their gold medal presentation, and American officials, mindful of the country's precarious standing in world opinion, are desperate to avoid any repeat.
"Unfortunately, using the flag as a prop or a piece of apparel or indulging in boasting behaviour is becoming part of our society in sport because every night on TV we see our athletes - professional, college or otherwise - taunting their opponents and going face to face with each other," said Mr Moran. "We are trying, for 17 days, to break that culture.
"What I am telling the athletes is, 'Don't run over and grab a flag and take it round the track with you.' It's not business as usual for American athletes. If a Kenyan or a Russian grabs their national flag and runs round the track or holds it high over their heads, it might not be viewed as confrontational. Where we are in the world right now, an American athlete doing that might be viewed in another manner."
Mr Moran added that the behaviour of British athletes could face similar scrutiny in Athens, though the British Olympic Association insists that there are no plans to ban them from celebrating with the Union flag.
A spokesman for the association said: "It's up to every athlete how he or she wishes to celebrate their Olympic success and there are no plans to issue any instructions. We are confident that every athlete will celebrate in a responsible way."
The US Olympic Committee's anxiety at over-exuberant displays of jingoism is a far cry from the scenes at the 2002 Winter Olympics, hosted by Salt Lake City, where the American flag became the defining symbol of the Games.
A different environment awaits the American team in Athens, where officials are anxious to replace apple pie with humble pie.
Americans were booed at the World Athletics Championships in Paris last year - largely as a result of Jon Drummond's histrionic protest at his disqualification from a heat of the 100 metres. And at an Olympic football qualifying match in Mexico earlier this year the American team was subjected to sustained barracking by a section of the crowd, including chants of "Osama, Osama".
Despite the extra burden being placed on American athletes, officials still predict a US medal haul of more than 100, and have made it their target to finish top of the medals table. The irony is that finishing the Games as the most powerful nation is unlikely to endear them to the rest of the world.
"We're not the favourite kid in the world right now," admitted Bill Martin, the US Olympic Committee's acting president.
"We are sensitive not only to the security issue but to jingoism in its raw sense. That is why we are sending people around to educate the athletes as to the appropriate behaviour."
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
A little FYI - "WE WE ARE THERE" - ain't proper english..
I agree. We've boycotted before, and each time, the Games were horrendous without us. I'm tired of the U.S. being everyone's friggin' chew toy.
Either way, Luker ought to learn how to spell before he starts a postin'!!!
By the way, there's just somethin' sneaky 'bout a prairiebreeze...
I say we let them have their America bashing party in private.
Experiment 6-2-6(whatever that means), you prove my point exactly - in your defense of prairiebreeze you attack my spelling and accuse me of being a DNC operative - you are another snide, weakminded freeper who will only participate in banter and not get to the reality of an issue (which is the ultimate point) - as you check my grammer and look for an opening to attack a fellow freeper you expose yourself as someone who doesn't truly understand the purpose of this website....the FREE and open exchange of ideas, whether you like what your fellow freepers have to say or not. Sorry I might not fit the profile of what you in your little brain feel is a 'real' freeper - If you are an example of one, I will take it into consideration next time I post a well thought out statement and realize the kind of response I might get from a lazy-brained fellow freeper like yourself. I know that many freepers consider this site to be a fun tight little clique - but there are some of us left who still take all issues very seriously as we watch our 'language, borders, and culture' devolve (to quote Mike Savage) - As a TRUE freeper, I will continue to post as I wish, believing that not all freepers are terrified clones huddled together hiding in this cage called freerepublic - believe about me what you will, but if nothing else, know that I am here to rattle that cage - not jump into it.
If our flag isn't welcome, then neither are we. We should stay home. To hell with these globalist tyrants.
buzz off and take your rants with you
This is ridiculous, this flag ain't a dirty flag, but these decadent gay games deserve to be boycotted.
BULLSH!T! If I can't represent my country by carrying the flag, then I won't go. F-em all!
You started this - I simply exposed you for what you are - and, obviously, you can't take a little heat - maybe you should get out of the kitchen (or off the 'prairie'). I'm not going anywhere.
I think at the very first boo at the American flag, all American athletes and every American in the audience ought to get up and leave the stadium, not to return. I'll bet you that over half the seats in that stadium would be empty, the Greeks would suffer a financial disaster unparalleled in the history of the Olympics and it would never happen again.....ever.
And don't try to win too many medals, you'll just make the inferior countries angrier.
F&%$ them If I were an athlete I would grab the flag and do it and tell anybody who doesnt like it they're petty little hatemongers.
I believe that is the best suggestion I've heard.
The hatred Greeks have for America is unbelievable. I think US should just skip these games altogether.
I agree...how about our athletes just burn a U.N. flag after each win?
We should not wave our flag after victory any more so than another country.
If that is the standard of all and we are breaking that standard, fine.
If others wave the flag, we are going to wave as well.
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