Rio used Chinese flag with the stars incorrectly positioned

By Reuters/Brenda Goh, Karolos Grohmann   August 8, 2016 | 05:34 pm PT
Rio used Chinese flag with the stars incorrectly positioned
China national flag is pictured hanging on the stands. 2016 Rio Olympics - Swimming - Semifinal - Men's 200m Freestyle Semifinals - Olympic Aquatics Stadium - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - 07/08/2016. Photo by Reuters/Stefan Wermuth
They are making new flags for China after criticism over flaws.

The Rio 2016 organizing committee is making new flags for China after Chinese citizens watching the ceremony on television complained that the stars were incorrectly positioned.

"The flags produced had been approved by the Chinese prior to production. You have to be very familiar with the Chinese flag to notice it (the mistake)," Games spokesman Mario Andrada said.

"Yesterday we managed to go back to (the) company. They are producing a bunch of correct flags to be delivered here shortly. It is a Brazilian company," he said.

The complaints arose after China won medals in shooting and swimming events and its flag was raised as part of the medal ceremonies.

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The stars on the flags raised were parallel with each other. Aug 6, 2016; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; The American flag flies above the Chinese flags after Virginia Thrasher took the gold medal in the 10m air rifle competition at Olympic Shooting Centre. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke.

Some Chinese internet users pointed out that the stars on the flags raised were parallel with each other. The correct Chinese flag features one large star, with four smaller stars in a semicircle tilted to point toward the larger one. 

"A flag is a country's symbol, we can't tolerate any problems," one online commentator quoted by Chinese media said.

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Construction sheet of Flag of the People's Republic of China. Photo by Wikimedia Commons

"All the flags used by the Rio 2016 committee are approved by the National Olympic Committees. We are working with the Chinese delegation to find a solution to this issue," a spokeswoman for the committee told Reuters on Sunday.

There are 306 Olympic medal events, and the committee's spokeswoman said events with a competing Chinese team would generally keep a flag in the wings. China's 416-strong athlete delegation are competing in 210 events over 26 sports.

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