[Asian Games] Hoisting of the North Korean National Flag is Prohibited…
Even the Opening Ceremony was Flapping
Sanctions banning the display of the national flag due to doping issues…
The national flag is also hoisted at the athletes’ village and stadium.
World Anti-Doping Organization “Efforts to correct… Group action that does not implement the results.”
North Korean Athletes
The North Korean athletes appeared at the opening ceremony of the Hangzhou Asian Games with the North Korean national flag in front, announcing their return to comprehensive sports after five years.
However, there are signs that the ‘use of artificial weapons’ in this competition will be controversial.
It is natural to display a national flag symbolizing one’s country at international competitions, 스포츠토토
but North Korea is prohibited from displaying its flag at competitions except the Olympics due to doping issues.
Despite this, North Korea entered the Asian Games opening ceremony held at the Olympic Sports Center Stadium in Hangzhou, China on the 23rd with the North Korean national flag in front.
On this day, North Korea appeared 7th in alphabetical order.
Boxer Bang Cheol-mi and shooter Park Myeong-won led the team holding the national flag high.
The North Korean players following behind also held the North Korean flag in their hands.
Asian Games
Even before the Hangzhou Asian Games officially opened, the North Korean athletes displayed the national flag at the front.
At the official entrance ceremony held at the Hangzhou Athletes’ Village on the 22nd,
North Korea’s national flag was hoisted along with the flags of other countries such as Brunei and Cambodia.
On this day, the national flag was flown throughout the competition, including at the table tennis men’s team stadium where North Korea faced Japan.
Even ahead of the men’s soccer game against Taiwan on the 21st,
North Korean players sang the national anthem in front of the national flag.
However, this action violates the regulations of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
In October 2021, WADA banned the display of the North Korean flag at international competitions except the Olympic and Paralympic Games, saying North Korea’s anti-doping agency was not meeting international standards.
WADA
Lifting WADA’s sanctions requires corrective action, such as an external inspection of North Korea’s anti-doping agency, but such measures could not be taken as North Korea closed its borders due to COVID-19.
For this reason, some media reported that at the International Taekwondo Federation (ITF)
World Championships held in Kazakhstan last August,
hoisting of North Korea’s national flag was banned and the organizers did not hoist the flags of all participating countries.
As the national flag is being hoisted one after another at the Asian Games,
there is speculation that WADA may hold the organizers, including the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), accountable in some way.
In response to a related inquiry, WADA said, “If we learn that our measures are not being respected, we will contact the relevant organizations and work to make corrections.
If necessary, we will take action against organizations that do not implement the consequences.”
The U.S. Radio Free Asia (RFA) reported on the 23rd.
World Anti-Doping Code
WADA explained, “North Korea continues to fail to comply with the World Anti-Doping Code,” adding, “All international federations and major event organizations, such as the OCA, have been informed of the consequences of North Korea’s non-compliance with the Code.”
Although the background behind the hoisting of the national flag has not been confirmed, some speculate that the relationship between North Korea and China,
which are ‘blood allies’, and the situation in which North Korea returned to a comprehensive international competition after five years were taken into consideration.
North Korea is evaluated as being in the medal range in several sports including weightlifting, wrestling, shooting, and boxing.
In the current atmosphere, it seems highly likely that the Hangzhou Asian Games organizing committee will not comply with WADA’s sanctions and will display the North Korean national flag play the North Korean national anthem at the award ceremony for a match won by a North Korean athlete.