VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) - It's been up since Sunday and Australia's Olympic team has been ordered to remove its boxing kangaroo flag from the Athletes' Village. The image of the giant kangaroo in boxing gloves is used to promote sports in schools in Australia and the IOC wants it down, as it's a registered trademark and not the country's official flag.
It's traditional for countries to hang their flags at the Athletes' Village and most Aussies News1130 spoke with want to see the 'roo stay. "I wouldn't take it down, no way! It's for our sporting teams, so everyone has that kangaroo, everyone knows it, so it's definitely Australian." One woman went so far as to say the boxing kangaroo is more Australian than Australia's national flag "I think that should be our flag or something similar, the Union Jack, we're not English we're Australian."
Surrey Mayor Dianne Watts says her city will fly the mascot flag if it is taken down at the athlete's village. "We're here to welcome the world and I think in the spirit of community, we're here to host the world. Personally, I have a love for Australia, I lived in Australia for a couple of years and worked there as well."
The marsupial controversy is making headlines down under, where the Deputy Prime Minister is quoted as calling the situation 'ridiculous.'