Team GB confirms athletes WILL wear traditional Union Jack at Olympics after fury over ‘diverse’ pink & purple design
TEAM GB have confirmed athletes will wear the traditional Union Jack on their kit at this summer's Olympics after a furious row over the redesigned "flag".
Fans and sporting legends were in uproar after a range of products advertised on the Team GB online shop saw the Union Jack altered using different shades of red, white and blue, along with a series of patterns.
Team GB designers, from the Bath-based agency Thisaway, said they needed to find a way to “refresh” the colour palette.
But the move was met with furious backlash after a similar row broke out over England’s new kit for the Euros 2024.
However, it has now been confirmed that Team GB athletes will wear the Union Flag as normal in Paris, with kit designs for this summer not yet released.
A spokesperson for Team GB said: “Rest assured the Union flag will feature proudly on the team kit for Paris, as it always does.
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“This image doesn’t replace the Union flag, which we will wear with pride later this summer.”
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak today repeated a warning that sports kit manufacturers "shouldn't mess" with national flags amid the uproar.
Downing Street reiterated the PM's view that the UK's national flags are "perfect as they are".
Asked about the controversial new Team GB merchandise following the rebrand, a Number 10 spokeswoman told reporters today: "I've not spoken to him about the specific Team GB kit.
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"He was asked previously about kit and he said his general view is that when it comes to our national flags we shouldn't mess with them. They are a source of pride, identity, who we are and he thinks they are perfect as they are.
"As he said at the time, in relation to the Euros kit, the PM is responsible for many things but the Euros kit and the Team GB kit aren't one."
The Paris kit, it is understood, will take on more traditional red, white and blue colours alongside the usual flag and are closer to a classic Team GB design.
But the changed emblem is on “Supporters Flags” selling for £12 on the Team GB shop.
The bunting, which claims to be a ‘Union Jack pattern’, costs £13 and the sold-out metal water bottles in the new design colours retail at £17.50.
However, fans first spotted the design at the World Aquatic Championships in Qatar.
It comes after England legend Peter Shilton has slammed Team GB's "diverse" pink and purple Union Jack.
The former goalkeeper - who boasts 125 caps for the Three Lions - told The Sun "nothing is held sacred" amid the re-brand ahead of this year's Paris Olympics.
Shilton CBE, 74 - famously beaten by Diego Maradona's Hand of God goal in 1986 - said: “I’m totally against any change to our national flag.
“It feels that nothing is held sacred these days in the UK.
“Our national flag has been symbolic for many years and should never be changed.”
ENGLAND FANS STILL HOT OVER THE COLLAR
By Andy Robinson
THE controversy over the Team GB flag comes hot on the heels of uproar over England’s Euro 2024 kit.
The new shirt for the football aces features a St George’s Cross which deviates from the
traditional red by adding purple and blue.
The emblem, on the collar of the home shirt, has been criticised as “woke” by fans.
Shirt makers Nike defended it, despite England manager Gareth Southgate declaring: “If it is not white with a red cross, it is not the St George’s flag.”
PM Rishi Sunak also hit out at the changes.
Stockists JD Sports said the home kit is selling less than the away kit for the first time ever.
British sporting legend Fatima Whitbread also condemned changes to the design of the Union Jack, saying she is “absolutely disgusted”.
Whitbread told : “I'm absolutely disgusted to think they’ve done it. Let’s face it, it represents our late Queen, it represents everything that embraces what's good about our country as years have gone by.
“I feel strongly about that. No way should they have just gone ahead and changed the country’s symbolic colours.
“It is about national pride and unity, as far as I'm concerned.
"We are an individual country, we have red, white and blue in our colours, and that's the way it should stay.”
The move came after the British Olympic Association enlisted design agency Thisaway to come up with ideas to appeal to “younger audiences” and increase interest outside the four-yearly Games.
Flags, bunting and water bottles were launched last June in the new colour scheme and have been on sale for fans in the official Team GB shop.
The red was previously taken out of designs on the London 2012 kit, but restored for Rio 2016 and at Tokyo 2020, where it was worn with pride by diver Tom Daley.
Critics said previous alterations were artistic decisions, while the latest changes are laced with “agenda politics”.
Adidas are the partners for the official Team GB kit and the designs were completed some two years ago.
They will be officially unveiled by athletes on April 17.
It has also been stressed that the controversial new colour scheme will appear only on a selection of merchandise, as well as some digital graphics, as part of a number of different designs that have been used to appeal to all ages of fans.
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The controversy comes hot on the heels of uproar over England football's Euro 2024 kit change.
The new shirt features a St George's Cross which deviates from the traditional colours.
