The Red Arrows have been told that they can’t perform one of their spectacular displays at the opening ceremony of the Olympics because they are deemed to be too British! Organisers of the event said that the Arrows’ military background might be “offensive” to other countries taking part in the Games. The display team have performed at more than 4000 events worldwide, but the Department of Culture, Media and Sport have deemed the display team “too militaristically British”.
Unsurprisingly, Red Arrows pilots are “outraged”, as they had hoped to put on a truly world class display for the Games, something which had never been seen before. Being axed from a British-based event for being “too British” is an insult – the Arrows are a symbol of Britain and the Red Arrows have been excellent ambassadors for British overseas trade, as they display their British-built Hawk aircraft all over the world.
I first saw the Red Arrows when I was about 4 or 5 years old whilst out with my parents in Folkestone. Ever since then I have been mesmerised by their skills and have been to many airshows to watch them. Their flypast at the Games would no doubt have been truly spectacular. I hope that common sense prevails.
4 comments:
I can find a lot about this on Google but it is all discussion forums and blogs. The only mainstream media reference is to The Sun.
Surely you would not post this on your site unless you had a more reputable source than that.
When I recall some of the things that have been lauded as British eg Athletes given honours etc, soccer players praised to the heavens, tv ‘entertainers’ feted with titles and then see that the Red Arrows are ‘too British’ for the Olympics, which are nothing but an expensive game driven by the government, Dear God!!!! Is it me??? or has the world gone mad!!!!
This story is completely unverified. The Red Arrows team themselves know nothing of it and claim they have not been asked to perform at the opening ceremony.
I would expect the Red Arrows to perform at such an important social/political event as the Olympics in Britain. If they have not been asked, why have they not been asked? My husband is Italian and their equivalent dare-devil pilots perform at EVERY important Italian national event.
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