Rogge, Cameroon play down faux pas
Source: AFP |
July 27, 2012, Friday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
INTERNATIONAL Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge yesterday blamed human error for the flag blunder which drew a protest from North Korea in the women's football tournament.
Responding to a question from North Korean IOC member Chang Ung at the IOC session, Rogge said the incident at Wednesday night's game in Glasgow was simply an "unfortunate incident."
North Korea refused to take the field for more than an hour after Hampden Park's giant screen showed images of North Korean players next to the South Korean flag before their opening match with Colombia.
The game missed its 7:45pm start after North Korea failed to appear. After it finally kicked off at 8:50pm, North Korea won 2-0 with a goal in each half.
"It was a most unfortunate incident yesterday," said Rogge. "I can assure you the organizing committee will take corrective action and there will be no repeat. There is no political connotation just a simple human mistake."
However, Chang was not satisfied.
"Of course the people are angry," Chang said. "If your athlete got a gold medal and the flag of some other country was put up what happens then? Imagine the reaction."
British Prime Minister David Cameron also downplayed the mix-up. "This was an honest mistake, honestly made," Cameron said. "An apology's been made and I'm sure every step will be taken to make sure these things don't happen again.
"We shouldn't inflate this episode. It was unfortunate, it shouldn't have happened, and I think we can leave it at that."
"We made a mistake, it is as simple as that," Paul Deighton, LOCOG chief executive, told BBC radio. "We have apologized and we are taking steps to make sure that absolutely can't happen again," he added.
The east Asian neighbors will face-off in the first round of the men's table tennis team event on August 3.
Responding to a question from North Korean IOC member Chang Ung at the IOC session, Rogge said the incident at Wednesday night's game in Glasgow was simply an "unfortunate incident."
North Korea refused to take the field for more than an hour after Hampden Park's giant screen showed images of North Korean players next to the South Korean flag before their opening match with Colombia.
The game missed its 7:45pm start after North Korea failed to appear. After it finally kicked off at 8:50pm, North Korea won 2-0 with a goal in each half.
"It was a most unfortunate incident yesterday," said Rogge. "I can assure you the organizing committee will take corrective action and there will be no repeat. There is no political connotation just a simple human mistake."
However, Chang was not satisfied.
"Of course the people are angry," Chang said. "If your athlete got a gold medal and the flag of some other country was put up what happens then? Imagine the reaction."
British Prime Minister David Cameron also downplayed the mix-up. "This was an honest mistake, honestly made," Cameron said. "An apology's been made and I'm sure every step will be taken to make sure these things don't happen again.
"We shouldn't inflate this episode. It was unfortunate, it shouldn't have happened, and I think we can leave it at that."
"We made a mistake, it is as simple as that," Paul Deighton, LOCOG chief executive, told BBC radio. "We have apologized and we are taking steps to make sure that absolutely can't happen again," he added.
The east Asian neighbors will face-off in the first round of the men's table tennis team event on August 3.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
