New Delhi: The organisers of the Asian Aquatics Championships, currently underway in Ahmedabad, have courted controversy after India’s men’s water polo team sported the country’s national flag on their swimming trunks – the official competition gear – during the competition rounds, leading to allegations of disrespect to the tricolour. Officials in the sports ministry and Indian Olympic Association (IOA) sought a report from the Swimming Federation of India (SFI), the hosts of the championships. The water polo team entered the competition displaying the country’s flag in a rectangle shape on their trunks, which they ideally should have exhibited on their skull caps.When TOI contacted the swimming federation, the officials assured that the country’s flag would be displayed on the skull caps and not on the trunks henceforth. “It’ll be done in matches ahead. The teams from other participating nations are wearing their national flags on their competition gear, but we do understand the Indian sensitivity,” said an official. SFI maintained that it was as per World Aquatics’ (previously FINA) rules which allow having a country flag and its placement on the competition suit. The World Aquatics’ general rules for uniform and flags state that “a flag and country code are permitted with a size limit of 32 cm² on swim caps in championships”. However, the issue primarily pertained to the violation of the ‘Flag Code of India 2002’, which is governed by the ‘Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971’. The Code explicitly prohibits “using the flag as part of a costume, uniform, or accessory worn below the waist; embroidering or printing the flag’s design on items like undergarments, cushions, handkerchiefs, or napkins and to touch the ground or trail in water”.
Poll
Do you believe the Indian men’s water polo team disrespected the national flag by wearing it on their trunks?
According to the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) charter, displaying national flags is not mandatory for participants and is governed by the choice of athletes and their nations.
