The House Rules for the Beijing Olympics state:To avoid delays at security and to maintain an orderly flow, please DO NOT bring the following articles to any venue: ... flags of non-members of the Olympics or Paralympics; flags or banners larger than 2 m x 1 m; flagpoles; any banners, slogans, fliers, brochures or samples.Clearly, as the United Kingdom - rather than its constituent countries - is the participating member, this rule would permit the Union Flag, but would exclude the Saltire.
This kind of thing always creates political tensions, and predictably the SNP has said that it will write to the International Olympic Committee and British Olympic Association, urging them - with just three days to go - to challenge the rule.
Clearly the nationalists have a vested interest in playing this one out in the public arena. It’s all part of the agenda to make Scotland look downtrodden. That much almost goes without saying.
But on the substance of the issue, I don't think it’s appropriate for the IOC to be so rigid. I can understand the need for some regulation, so that the games are as apolitical as possible, but shouldn’t each National Olympic Committee be able to provide a list?
In most countries there would still be just one flag, but in various others which have an incorporating or federal union structure, things just aren’t that simple.
In our own case, I can understand why some unofficial flags (such as the Ulster Banner) might be contentious, but I can see no reason why the Union Flag, Saltire, Red Dragon and Cross of St George shouldn’t be permitted.One last point. This Deadline Scotland report said:
The decision has caused controversy among proud Scottish nationalists who say fans should be able to fly whatever flag they want.That’s another little piece of evidence that the Saltire really has been hijacked, at least in some people’s minds. This shouldn’t just be a nationalist issue. It shouldn’t be left just to nationalists to seek a more flexible set of guidelines.
So if the unionist parties are really serious about reclaiming and depoliticising the Saltire for use by all of the people of Scotland, they should get themselves solidly behind the SNP’s representations, and if an IOC rule turns out to be the root problem, get it changed in time for London 2012.
I find it hard to believe someone will not be able to manage to take(smuggle) a 'Saltire' into the Olympic events.
My expectation is to see the saltire flying at the Beijing Olympics of that I'm sure.
You make a v good point about getting this sorted before 2012.
Can you imagine Scots fans in their thousands having their Saltires taken from them at stadium gates in London?
A field day for the Nationalists as they drum up memories of banned ceilidhs and bagpipes in 1700s etc (or whenever).
Fair point, Mr Unionist I think. Whether it's because I'm a nationalist or a patriot (I believe its the latter) I always have a wee smile when I see a saltire flown at sporting events around the world - even when Scotland have been dumped out of the tournament early on.
It's sad that, with this rule, the Saltire may not appear at the Olympics - especially as there will be Scots competing. The IOC look like they are tightening this rule simply to stop China suffering embarrassment at seeing thousands of Tibetan flags at the Games. After all - Cathy Freeman was allowed a lap of hounour at the Sydney Games with an Aboriginee flag.
Your final point is (half) right though. The SNP make much out of it because it is a slight on our nation. But where are the other parties on it? If, as you say, they want to depoliticise it, they should use opportunities like this to fight for it, to show that they are acting in Scotland's interest - not trying to run Scotland down at every opportunity.