Sadly, the London Olympics’
first day has witnessed an unfortunate blunder by organisers. Last night the North Korean women's football
team left the pitch at their match in Glasgow, after their images were shown before
kick-off on a giant video screen, next to the flag of hated neighbours South
Korea.
The furious squad were only
persuaded to return after the teams had been announced again, with each North
Korean player's face displayed beside the correct flag. During the delay to the prestigious event spectators booed, and many left the ground. Unhappily for Olympic staff including
Sebastian Coe, the fiasco immediately went viral.
Grovelling British officials
have apologised to the North Koreans for the gaffe. After all, displaying the wrong flag was an
easy mistake to make, depending on the calibre of the appointed score-board
operator. At any rate the episode has
been a first taste of pure Olympic gold.
Since their conflict of
the 1950s which ended in an armistice, North and South Korea remain technically
at war. Today North Korea is a
reclusive, renegade state led by a mad regime, with an arsenal of gigantic nuclear
weapons.
An opportunity for more
regrettable Olympic bungling will arise when the two countries meet in the
men's table-tennis team event. To view
potential fireworks, press the red button.
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