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Pauline Hanson Is Furious Over The Matildas' Aboriginal Flag Stunt At Tokyo Olympics

Pauline Hanson Is Furious Over The Matildas' Aboriginal Flag Stunt At Tokyo Olympics

The One Nation leader has hit out against athletes 'hijacking platforms to make token PC gestures that only inflame division'.

Anonymous

Anonymous

By Stewart Perrie

Pauline Hanson is furious at the Australian women's soccer team for holding an Aboriginal flag at the Olympic Games.

Ahead of their clash with New Zealand, The Matildas posed for a team photo with the First Nations emblem proudly on display in front of them.

It was a landmark and global display of respect and the team won praise all over Australia for the simple gesture.

However, it clearly has not gone down well with some people and the One Nation leader is particularly fuming.

Ms Hanson has posted a statement to Facebook calling on all Australian teams to keep 'the politics of division out of sport'.

PA

She wrote: "The Matildas should stick to playing soccer and represent all Australians at the Tokyo Olympics instead of using the event as a platform for the politics of division.

"Australians supporting their Olympic team deserve an explanation from the Australian Olympic Committee, and I'm sure they want to know what the Prime Minister has to say about it too.

"This deliberate and vocal snubbing of Australia's national flag was a slap in the face to all Australians.

"Indigenous flags don't represent all Australians. There's only one flag which truly represents all of us, the Australian flag.

"Taxpayers don't shell out millions of dollars to send Olympic teams to represent two nations. We're one nation, Australia, indigenous and non-indigenous alike.

"I think a lot of Australians are sick and tired of athletes and celebrities hijacking platforms to make token PC gestures that only inflame division. Australians are sick and tired of their favourite sports being ruined by politics."

Australia ended up beating New Zealand 2-1 in the match and it appeared most people were on board with the Aboriginal flag gesture.

PA

The Matildas captain Sam Kerr, who found the net with an epic header, was proud of their statement.

"It's something we spoke about a lot as a team. We let the Indigenous girls drive it," she said after the match.

"We didn't want to do something that goes along with the grain, we wanted to do something that was relevant for our country."

It was a different approach to what many teams are doing at the Tokyo Games.

Many are taking the knee before their respective games as a silent protest and sign of solidarity against racism all over the world.

The Olympics previously ruled out any types of social or political protest, however relaxed the rules at the 11th hour to permit taking the knee before the whistle is blown.

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Featured Image Credit: Creative Commons / PA

Topics: olympics, Football, Tokyo Olympics, Australia, Politics