倫敦奧運會開幕之前率先進行的女足小組賽朝鮮對哥倫比亞的比賽中,主辦方介紹朝鮮女足隊員的頭像旁邊顯示的卻是韓國國旗,朝鮮女足隊員全體離場表示抗議,原定當晚7點45分開始的比賽也因此延遲到9點才開始。倫敦奧組委隨后發表道歉聲明:“今天在朝鮮與哥倫比亞的比賽開始之前,球場大屏幕上出現的卻是韓國國旗,很明顯那是一個錯誤。我們向朝鮮女足全隊和朝鮮奧委會道歉,并采取措施保證此類錯誤不會再犯。”不過,這并不是朝鮮與奧運會之間的第一次糾葛。1963年國際奧委會對參加新生力量運動會的國家發布禁令后,朝鮮退出了1964年的奧運會。1988年,因與首爾合辦奧運會的要求被拒,朝鮮再次拒絕參加奧運會。
?(TOP) South Korea's flag is used to introduce Team North Korea players at Hampden and (BOTTOM) North Korea's supporters react as the incorrect flag is displayed. (Agencies) |
North Korea's Olympic women's football team walked off the pitch for an hour at their opening London 2012 match after organizers mistakenly introduced the players using South Korea's flag.
Just four hours after the first action of London 2012, the Games saw its first gaffe when the electronic scoreboard at Hampden Park displayed the South Korean flag ahead of North Korean women’s football match against Colombia.
The entire team left the pitch in protest when they saw the wrong flag next to their names on the screen.
The match had been due to start at 7.45pm but there was a delay of at least an hour while the mistake was corrected. The game eventually kicked off shortly before 9pm.
Announcers at the stadium apologized for the delay and said there was “an issue behind the scenes”.
There were reports that fans had booed while others walked out after being kept waiting.
Before the match, Scottish Secretary Michael Moore said: “The Olympics is of huge importance and the fact Hampden will be front and centre as the world turns it attention to the UK is great news for Glasgow and Scotland as a whole.
“The Olympics is our chance to show the world what we are capable of as a nation and the hard work of people across the country is helping ensure the success of the Games.
“I am looking forward to watching the game and hearing the first-ever Olympic roar at Hampden later today.”
North Korea is no stranger to Olympic controversies. In 1964, the nation withdrew from the Olympics after the IOA banned countries that took part in the 1963 Games of the New Emerging Forces.
The country also boycotted the 1988 Games after being snubbed as co-hosts for the Seoul Games.
A Locog spokesman said: “Today ahead of the Women’s football match at Hampden Park, the South Korean flag was shown on a big screen video package instead of the North Korean flag.
"Clearly that is a mistake, we will apologize to the team and the National Olympic Committee and steps will be taken to ensure this does not happen again.”
相關閱讀
(Agencies)
(中國日報網英語點津 Helen 編輯)