National team? Then sing the National Anthem!

I know, but tradition says they were in charge of the olympic flame and watched the games. The games became very romanised. Didn't Nero compete?

jeni Vestal virgins were Roman, not Greek.

Especially their politics!

I'm all for confounding knavish tricks and frustrating their politics!

ellenaitch can we have them male only, and in the nude?
But only the vestal virgins were allowed to watch.
Don't know about you, but I'm no vestal virgin?

I rather like the idea of our enemies' knavish tricks being confounded-it sounds so positive and dynamic instead of appeals to the European court

Junior was mouthing, senior was too overcome with emotion!

Forget the singing - just listen to their remarks and then say that they are not patriotic - wonderful wonderful people

I had just commented at home on the British male cyclists failure to sing the National Anthem when I saw the comments on here. I understand the Republicanism feelings, though do not agree with them, but .... I still believe you shouldn't compete on behalf of your country and its leader if you feel no allegiance to them.

However, my OH has just said he thinks the Olympics should go back to its roots and have no team games at all. Every country should send their best solo competitors who compete for themselves alone. He also believes in having only sports that have absolute results that can be measured - not subjective things like diving, which is judged on style.

Worth thinking about perhaps.

Although you'd think someone would have given the teams a refresher course when they knew they were going to compete in the Olympics! And possibly a pep-talk on the importance of at least appearing to be patriotic...

We learnt it at school - or perhaps we just absorbed it. We also had to learn it - and sing it - to get some badge or other at Brownies. It was just a part of life back then. But now I am sure they don't learn the anthem anywhere and look a bit bamboozled when they hear it - well, my GC haven't a clue about it and I assume they are typical.

Thought that floated through my mind - do they know the words? When I was a child, you couldn't avoid learning the first verse because we sang it at every event, public or private. How often do people hear it nowadays? This doesn't apply to the athletes who let it be known that they weren't singing as a deliberate statement.

When the National Anthem is played watch out for a very loud clash of symbols on the penultimate chord. I heard an interview with the man who orchestrated all 205 anthems with I think the London Philharmonic. He recorded them at Abbey Road Studios and after standing on the podium conducting for 55 hours got Jonathan Edwards who had really been on the gold podium to clash the cymbals ...........he did it overenthusiastically and you can hear it in the result

merlot Spot on!

Agreed merlot.
There is a huge difference between e.g. a team not singing the National Anthem before a match and for a winner to stand on a podium.

If that was me on that podium I would be so proud and may be feel that the Anthem was played in honor of my achievement.

And be totally overcome with emotion.

Yes. POGS. You've got my drift!

Agreed, merlot.

I think there's a big difference between lining up with a team in a stadium full (or not) of people singing their heads off and not wanting to sing as a solitary soul on the podium, choked with emotion with a camera up your nose.

ANNOBEL.

O.K. I understand I read your comment in the wrong way. Thanks. I agree should be Team U.K. Have I got that right?.

Northern Ireland competitors are in Team GB, but the name of the nation is the UK of GB and NI. Really should be Team UK.

Gold medal winners - including Bradley Wiggins - are often too emotionally choked up to sing the anthem. In the interview after his win, he didn't seem to know where he was, referring to Hampton Court Palace as 'a castle'. After the last few weeks, that's perhaps not surprising.

Annobel

Forgetting who may or may not agree with me, I have to say I have learnt something.

I was totally oblivious to the fact Northern Ireland was not included in Team G.B. I am astonished to know that, thanks. I genuinely thought they were.

Do you know why?

Can I have a quiet chuckle, without causing any offence, please?

.......the amazing Bradley Wiggins didn't join in with the national anthem when others were singing as he was presented his gold medal. tee hee

I don't think you have to sing the National athem just because you are in the team. The atheletes are playing for the nation and may not be particularly monarchist. as long as they respect others by standing quietly, there is no problem. It is the same as going to a church wedding or meeting where there may be prayers.. You may not be a beliver so you just sit and wait.

absent, I have often thought that the title 'Team GB' was unfair to Northern Ireland. The country is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Team GB ignores the existence of our NI citizens.

I just looked for this thread and it wasn't there (again!)
The BBC Olympic coverage is/was alsy missing.
No change on the Disappearing Threads front, then!

POGS Just for the record and in spite of media misuse, Great Britain and the United Kingdom are not interchangeable terms.