"FIFA won applause for blocking Rising Sun Flag cheering"
"Report any Rising Sun Flag cheering spotted on the broadcast"
Professor Seo Kyungdeok of Sungshin Women's University urged the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to firmly block the use of the Rising Sun Flag by Japanese cheering squads in connection with the 2026 Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo Winter Olympics, which open on the 6th (local time).
"Please report any Rising Sun Flag cheering you witness"
On this day, through his Facebook page, Professor Seo said, "It is important to cheer for our athletes and enjoy this global sports festival, but there is one thing we must be wary of," adding, "We must absolutely prevent the Japanese cheering squad from using the 'Rising Sun Flag' in their support."
Regarding the Rising Sun Flag, he pointed out that it is "the flag that Japan pushed to the forefront when it invaded various Asian countries in the past, symbolizing militarism and imperialism." He continued, "During the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, a photo of a Japanese athlete wearing a cap with a Rising Sun pattern was blatantly posted on the IOC's official social media, which sparked controversy," adding, "During the men's road cycling events at both the Paris and Tokyo Olympics, cheering with the Rising Sun Flag also appeared and became a major source of controversy."
Referring to the case of the F?d?ration Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), Professor Seo stressed, "After years of consistent protests, FIFA immediately stopped the Rising Sun Flag cheering displayed by Japanese fans during the Qatar World Cup, earning loud applause from football fans around the world."
He also said, "If you witness cheering with the Rising Sun Flag at the Winter Olympics venues or on the broadcast screen, please report it immediately," adding, "As soon as we receive a report, we will send a protest email to the IOC and alert major foreign correspondents so that measures are taken to ensure that cheering with the Rising Sun Flag never appears again on the Olympic stage."
Rising Sun Flag cheering also appeared at the Paris 2024 Olympics
The Rising Sun Flag is a military flag that Japan has used since the late 19th century in its wars of aggression across Asia, including the Pacific War, and it symbolizes Japanese militarism and imperialism. In Asian countries that suffered from Japan's past invasions, including Korea, China, and nations in Southeast Asia, it has long been recognized as a symbol that evokes historical wounds and pain.
Previously, when cheering with the Rising Sun Flag appeared during the men's road cycling event at the Paris 2024 Olympics, Professor Seo also lodged an official protest with the IOC and demanded measures to prevent a recurrence.
At the time, Professor Seo is known to have sent a protest email to the IOC stating, among other things, that "the Rising Sun Flag is the flag that Japan pushed to the forefront when it invaded various Asian countries in the past, symbolizing Japanese militarism and imperialism," and that "the renewed use of the Rising Sun Flag amounts to denying the history of the wars of aggression committed by Japan in the past, and for Asians it is an act that once again brings back the horrors of war."
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