Flag Flap Settled
The boxing kangaroo flagwill remain hanging from the balcony of the Vancouver Olympic Village. Australian Olympic Committee President and IOC member John Coates says he discussed the flag which has raised questions about whether the trademarked symbol of the AOC was also a commercial symbol, and as such, banned from a venue like the Olympic Village.
“The IOC has clean venue policies so that they can ensure their sponsors are protected and not ambushed,” said Coates who added that “Australia was not trying to ambush VANOC or the IOC with any licensed goods here.
“We are not selling authorized boxing kangaroo merchandise in Vancouver, nor is it available online,” said Coates, who today took a seat on the ruling IOC Executive Board for the first time since his election in October.
Coates says at no time was there a request from the IOC to remove the flag, only a request to discuss the banner which has hung for a week now.
“They would like us to work with their marketing department and legal department to see how we can deal with this additional mascot or identification that we have for the future,” Coates said.
He said the AOC will register the boxing kangaroo with the IOC as its third identification in addition to the coat of arms and the Australian flag with the rings.
The boxing kangaroo has been used as the team mascot since the 2000 Olympics in Sydney and is featured on athletes’ suitcases and some even wear it as a temporary tattoo.
He predicted the New Zealand team with its kiwi and the Great Britain team with its lion could have similar situations.
He wants to have it resolved in time to use at the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore.
IOC spokesman Mark Adams says the issue was “what is quaintly in England called a storm in a teacup” and said the IOC never asked for the flag to be taken down.
We will talk about this issue after Vancouver,” he said.
Kun Hee Lee Back as IOC Voter
Suspended IOC member from South Korea Kun Hee Lee is back as a voting IOC member after a nearly two-year voluntary suspension. Lee, ex-chairman of worldwide sponsor Samsung, removed himself as an active IOC member in2008 when he faced charges of tax evasion and embezzlement. Lee, 67, was convicted and sentenced to a suspended jail term as well as a hefty fine.
All that was washed away in December when the president of Korea pardoned Lee. The pardon cleared the way for the IOC Ethics Commission to issue a recommendation that Lee be allowed to return to his full status as an IOC member.
Adams said that Lee was given a public reprimand -- which said he had “tarnished the reputation of the Olympic Movement” -- and suspended from serving on any IOC commission for five years.
“Those are two of the three strongest things the IOC can do against a member,” he said.
“To be honest, I think it’s a pretty strong statement” and is probably one of the strongest sanctions the IOC has handed down.
Adams suggested that questions about the effect Lee’s role with PyeongChang bid for the 2018 Winter Olympics had on the Executive Board be addressed to IOC president Jacques Rogge at the Monday press briefing.
Record Number of Countries
Adams said 82 countries are expected to compete in the Vancouver Olympics, a record for the Winter Games. The 2006 Turin Olympics had 80 countries entered.
Written by Karen Rosen and Ed Hula
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