Posted on 7/27/2012 3:25 PM in U.S., World
US Olympic Officials are considering dipping the flag at the opening ceremony at the London Games. To do so would break the US FLag Code.
Scott Blackmun, the CEO of the United States Olympic Committee, told Reuters they were discussing the matter internally.
“We’ve talked about that a little bit and you never know what is going to happen,” Blackmun told the news agency.
But later a spokesman for the USOC sent Fox News a statement Blackmun’s comments and calling the Reuter’s report “not accurate.”
“We have made an official recommendation to the athlete, not to dip the flag,” the spokesperson told Fox News. “We have also spoken to the athlete advisory committee and they are in agreement.”
Mike Buss, deputy director of the American Legion, said it is a very big issue.
“No disrespect should be shown to the flag of the United States,” he said reading from the U.S. Flag Code. “The flag should not be dipped to any person or thing.”
He said he believes dipping the American flag at tonight’s ceremony would be un-American.
“There are many patriotic Americans who would say it is a big deal,” Buss told Fox News. “You don’t dip the United States flag to honor other countries.”
The tradition of not dipping the flag can be traced back to shotputter Ralph Rose. Historians said he refused to dip Old Glory during the 1908 Summer Games in London.
“This flag dips for no earthly king,” he reportedly said.
The United States stopped dipping the flag at the opening ceremony in Berlin in 1936.
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