David EdwardsNational Pride Once More On the Sporting Front
February 13th 2007 12:18
Showing of national pride has become a hot button issue in Australia. In the past month there has been supposed bans of the Australian flag at the music festival Big Day Out in Sydney, a rebellious clash that was seen around the world between two nations, Croatia and Serbia, during the Australian Open, and it seems that now the Australian Swimming Championships are getting into the mix, considering placing a ban on flags during its meet next month in Melbourne.
With the images of the violent clash outside the front of Rod Laver Arena still burning in their brains, the organisers for the Australian Swimming Championships are proposed a complete ban on flags, as the main concern comes from the water polo competition where Croatia and Serbia will place one after another in different matches, and therefore give the opportunity for a another fight to break out.
Whilst I have said this before about a number of issues that has arisen over the past six months, I believe that this takes the cake on one of the most ridiculous ideas to come out of a sporting competition.
First of all, placing a ban of flags will not stop a single thing if rival groups from these two nations decide to once more cause a problem. It was in fact text messaging a whispered words that cause the conflict during the Australian Open. If flags were banned from that venue it would not have made one aorta worth of difference in what occurred.
Second of all, for a contest such as swimming championships, imposing a flag ban is borderline ludicrous. Supporters come to this meet not to see individuals against individuals, but mainly nation against nation. In our history alone, the biggest contests in the pool are considered not by their own personal merits, but rather the country they represent. Who can forget the China saga after their swimmers came to the swimming pool looking like body builders, or how Australia was able to smash the United States ‘like guitars’. The swimming pool is specifically designed for the nation rivalry, not the personal gain.
Whilst both of those examples were taken from the Olympic Games, it still shows the importance the swimming championships take on the nation front. In fact, the swimming championships, like the athletic championships, is still one of the contests that will play the winner’s national anthem after they win their race. Are we to believe that the championships itself will still push forward the notion of country before individual, yet at the same time ban supporters from showing their true colours?
This ban will be squashed, like the alleged ‘Australian flag’ ban of the Big Day Out or the notion to get rid of the mexican wave during the one day contests. All it will do is resolve people to show their nation in any which way imaginable, including flags. If the swimming championships were trying to dull down the thought of country pride in Melbourne this March, they have done the exact opposite, and do not be surprised if you see the largest gathering of symbolic national pride that any sporting contest has provided since the Sydney Olympics.
On a different note, the Australian squad for the World Cup was announced today, and it seems that my thoughts were completely ignored (how could the selectors do that!). Tait has found a spot, whilst Stuart Clark and Cameron White has not been named to make the trip to the West Indies. However the selectors have made enough room to add reserve keeper Haddin to the squad, and not a moment too soon as it was announced today that Gilchrist might miss a number of warm up matches over there as he will take compassionate leave to stay by his side of his wife for the birth of their third child. Let’s hope that Gilchrist will be able to enjoy the birth of his child and another World Cup victory with neither side unsettled by the unfortunate close timing of each other.
Until next time, sports minds.
With the images of the violent clash outside the front of Rod Laver Arena still burning in their brains, the organisers for the Australian Swimming Championships are proposed a complete ban on flags, as the main concern comes from the water polo competition where Croatia and Serbia will place one after another in different matches, and therefore give the opportunity for a another fight to break out.
Whilst I have said this before about a number of issues that has arisen over the past six months, I believe that this takes the cake on one of the most ridiculous ideas to come out of a sporting competition.
First of all, placing a ban of flags will not stop a single thing if rival groups from these two nations decide to once more cause a problem. It was in fact text messaging a whispered words that cause the conflict during the Australian Open. If flags were banned from that venue it would not have made one aorta worth of difference in what occurred.
Second of all, for a contest such as swimming championships, imposing a flag ban is borderline ludicrous. Supporters come to this meet not to see individuals against individuals, but mainly nation against nation. In our history alone, the biggest contests in the pool are considered not by their own personal merits, but rather the country they represent. Who can forget the China saga after their swimmers came to the swimming pool looking like body builders, or how Australia was able to smash the United States ‘like guitars’. The swimming pool is specifically designed for the nation rivalry, not the personal gain.
Whilst both of those examples were taken from the Olympic Games, it still shows the importance the swimming championships take on the nation front. In fact, the swimming championships, like the athletic championships, is still one of the contests that will play the winner’s national anthem after they win their race. Are we to believe that the championships itself will still push forward the notion of country before individual, yet at the same time ban supporters from showing their true colours?
This ban will be squashed, like the alleged ‘Australian flag’ ban of the Big Day Out or the notion to get rid of the mexican wave during the one day contests. All it will do is resolve people to show their nation in any which way imaginable, including flags. If the swimming championships were trying to dull down the thought of country pride in Melbourne this March, they have done the exact opposite, and do not be surprised if you see the largest gathering of symbolic national pride that any sporting contest has provided since the Sydney Olympics.
On a different note, the Australian squad for the World Cup was announced today, and it seems that my thoughts were completely ignored (how could the selectors do that!). Tait has found a spot, whilst Stuart Clark and Cameron White has not been named to make the trip to the West Indies. However the selectors have made enough room to add reserve keeper Haddin to the squad, and not a moment too soon as it was announced today that Gilchrist might miss a number of warm up matches over there as he will take compassionate leave to stay by his side of his wife for the birth of their third child. Let’s hope that Gilchrist will be able to enjoy the birth of his child and another World Cup victory with neither side unsettled by the unfortunate close timing of each other.
Until next time, sports minds.
| 31 |
| Vote |
Subscribe to this blog
