Double congratulations to Welsh rower Tom James for (a) playing his part in the tremendous gold medal winning performance in the Beijing Olympics Coxless Fours and (b) for proudly posing with the Welsh flag following the awards ceremony!
Link to photograph.
Of course, due to the crazy ruling by Chinese authorities, Tom risks disqualification for displaying the Welsh flag; Wales being a country not individually represented at the games.
Personally, I hope Tom doesn’t get into trouble for his public display of national pride. I also loved the fact his parents predicted the slight bending of the rules in a Daily Post interview several days ago:
The couple may bend the rules a bit and fly a Welsh flag rather than a Union Jack.
We will be about 150 yards on the other side about 150 yards...
Would you believe it? The Welsh Flag has been banned at the Beijing Olympics. Chinese authorities have imposed the crazy rule which means flags of any non-competing nation are likely to be confiscated from fans as they enter the various sporting venues. In an even crazier move, athletes could even be disqualified from competing if they break the rules.
If you’re wondering why the red dragon won’t be present in Beijing, it’s because Scotland, Wales, England and Northern Ireland are not individually represented at the games and only the Union Flag of Great Britain will be allowed inside the stadiums.
British MPs have urged Gordon Brown to demand the Chinese scrap the ruling, which they say is a further example of China’s human rights abuses.
Hugh Robertson, the...
