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Those wacky Iranians!
Posted: Mon Feb 28, 2011 11:03 pm
by Gob
Iran could boycott the London Olympics after claiming the Games' 2012 logo is "racist" because it resembles the word "Zion" - a biblical term for Jerusalem.
Iran's National Olympic Committee sent a letter to the International Olympic Committee criticising the emblem and its perceived link to the city.
The letter also urges other Muslim states to oppose the "racist logo".
A statement from the IOC said: "The London 2012 logo represents the figure 2012, nothing else."
The London logo shows the numbers "2012" in four jagged figures and until now has only been criticised for its design.
With 18 months until the Olympics, a statement from the London Organising Committee [Locog] added: "[The logo] was launched in 2007 following testing and consultation.
"We are surprised that this complaint has been made now."
The letter from Bahram Afsharzadeh, the secretary general of Iran's NOC, was sent to IOC president Jacques Rogge and continued: "There is no doubt that negligence of the issue from your side may affect the presence of some countries in the games, especially Iran which abides by commitment to the values and principles."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/olympic ... 410046.stm
"Oh no, how will the games survive without the particiopati0on of the Iranians?, may as well call the whole shooting match off..."
Re: Those wacky Iranians!
Posted: Mon Feb 28, 2011 11:19 pm
by Scooter
Yeah, as if they were such a powerhouse in any sport that there absence would be noticed.
Last time I checked, hurling stones at the head of a woman buried in the ground up to her neck hasn't yet made the cut. Maybe once the IOC gets around to a decision on women's ski jumping...
Re: Those wacky Iranians!
Posted: Mon Feb 28, 2011 11:47 pm
by @meric@nwom@n
I will miss their participation in the flying carpet triathlon.
Re: Those wacky Iranians!
Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2011 1:44 am
by loCAtek
How the Hell does that '2' look like an 'n'?
How the Hell does that logo look like anything legible?
Was this designed by the guy who did the mascots!?
...then yes, they should be boycotted!
Re: Those wacky Iranians!
Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2011 8:59 pm
by Gob
Iranians "would not be missed" if they decided to boycott the London Olympics, David Cameron is reported as saying.
Last week, Iran threatened to stay away over claims the 2012 logo was racist as it resembled the word "Zion", a biblical term for Israel.
The prime minister told London-based paper Jewish News: "It's completely paranoid. If the Iranians don't want to come, don't come - we won't miss you.
"It would be a crazy reason for not coming," he said.
The London logo shows the numbers "2012" in four jagged figures and until now has only been criticised for its design.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-12707810
Thank god for that, I thought the PC brigade would have got it changed!
Re: Those wacky Iranians!
Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2011 1:04 pm
by Scooter
Not that I expect anything to be done to mollify Iran about this, but Cameron doesn't speak for the Olympics organizing committee and can't dictate any action they might take.
Re: Those wacky Iranians!
Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2011 1:33 pm
by dgs49
On the other hand...
I can recall a few examples over the years when a symbol of one sort or another was protested and changed because it looked like a swastika - at the insistence of jewish advocacy groups.
It is rather funny that the representatives of Iran would think ANYONE gives a damn whether they show up or not. Maybe they are trying to inspire a boycott by all of the Arab countries of the region.
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
