It's not my flag, my flag's a Dragon

This is what Neville Southall—one of the great players of Wales, and Everton—has just said in relation to the plan by the British Olympic Association and English Football Association to force through a British football team without the agreement of the Welsh, Scottish or Northern Irish football associations:

The whole point of going to the Olympics is that special moment when your flag goes up. What flag are they going to put up if they win it? The Union Jack? It's not my flag. My flag's a Dragon.

As a Welshman I'd rather play for Wales if I was in the Olympics. I would want to go and represent my country.

BBC, 22 June 2011

Well said, Neville. The wider issue is not just about the web of deception and outright lies now being used by the BOA and FA to cobble together a couple of football teams, it's about all sportsmen and women in Wales being able to compete for their own country.

The real scandal is not just these football teams; it's that competitors in all the other events aren't allowed to compete as part of a Welsh Olympic team.

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14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Exactly MH.

Radio Wales and the rest of BBC are going into overdrive to make out that those who don't want Team GB re 'narrow minded' and that politics should get into sport. (ignoring the fact that ever country team is a political construction by definition - more banal nationalism by the British nationalists).

Owen said...

Couldn't have put it better myself.

IMHO football shouldn't even be an olympic sport. The Olympics are supposed to be the pinacle for sports that don't have a mass appeal or a clearly defined/respected "World Championship".If this were Futsal or Beach Football, they might have a point.

As usual though "saving face" for London's two-week spendathon is more important than the wishes of ordinary football fans or our "lesser" football associations.

Anonymous said...

The Radio Wales phone in today was very misleading and biased as the official material for the programme even suggested those defending the current system are petty nationalists. The BOA is tarring the name of the Olympics. The main reason behhind this drive is financial, 1.7 million unsold football tickets. It's typical British nationalism.

glynbeddau said...

I've made this comment on several Post but I wish all commentators Including you would point out The tournament is an "Under-23 compentaition and was designed to allows teams from around the world to compete equally, and African countries have taken particular advantage of this, with Nigeria and Cameroon winning the Olympics.

This means that you will not see the stars of Brazil etc in the competition.

The London Media do not mention this so as to give the impression this is another World Cuo of full internationals and we must correct this impression at every opportunity.

MH said...

You've just made that point very well, Glyn. And thank you.

If Anon 15:00 is right about the unsold tickets, it is a stark contrast with the scramble for tickets to the main events. Perhaps it shows that the public are well aware that this football event is a long way short of being top-flight.

As Owen said, it devalues the Olympics if winning a medal is not a pinnacle achievement in that sport. For international football, the pinnacle is obviously the World Cup; therefore football should not be part of the Olympics.

Anonymous said...

Neville Southall - legend.

Anonymous said...

loved neville southall's comments...sums it up perfectly...and a massive kick in the teeth for the sycophants at bbc wales doing what their british paymasters in london are telling them to do!....not that theres anything new in that of course......

but this whole sorry episode raises the question why on earth Wales.....one of the oldest historical nations in the world...doesnt compete on its own at the olympics? after all wales participates in most world sports on its own anyway! Perhaps this saga may prove a catalyst for such a welcome and long overdue move.

Leigh richards
swansea

Anonymous said...

'but this whole sorry episode raises the question why on earth Wales.....one of the oldest historical nations in the world...doesnt compete on its own at the olympics? after all wales participates in most world sports on its own anyway'

Easy, because Wales is not an independent nation state and most of the people who live in Wales do not want it to be.

MH said...

There's a lot of difference between what is "easy" and what is true, 18:45.

Sending a team to the Olympics is not dependent on being an independent nation state. There are only 192 of those in the world, but there are 205 National Olympic Committees, meaning that 13 teams in the Olympics will not be from independent nation states.

If Palestine, Taiwan, Bermuda, Puerto Rico and Hong Kong can send their own teams, why can't Wales, Scotland or Catalunya?

But if FIFA, the IRB and all the other bodies that regulate international sport ever were to decide that only independent nation states could be represented in international competition, I'm sure that support for an independent Wales would soar.

Anonymous said...

Big Nev - now that's what I call 'Standing Wales's Corner'.

Look and learn, Carwyn, look and learn.

Albert said...

Good to hear that Welsh and Scottish sportspeople see it so clearly. That's a lot more than what can be said from Catalan sportspeople. Catalonia is not recognized as a country in the Spanish State and therefore the debate can't even start.

Sadly, the limitations to stateless nations to be represented in the Olympic Games were introduced by a Catalan. The president of the IOC, and long term pro Franco's regime collaborationist, Juan Antonio Samaranch.

Anonymous said...

Salute that man!

Dafy said...

I don't understand how GB can compete as a nation. It has NEVER been a nation. In fact, it is a historical state, that no longer exists. Great Britain as a state existed between 1707-1801. Get rid o this relic and allow the NATIONS to compete!

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