Has Damien Hooper been treated fairly?
Roar Guru By Andrew Potter, 31 Jul 2012 Andrew Potter is a Roar Guru
- Tagged:
- 2012 London Olympics, cathy freeman, Damien Hooper, Olympics
Damien Hooper (L) of Australia is dressed in a T-shirt bearing the Aboriginal colours as he arrives for his first round Light-heavyweight (81kg) match of the London 2012 Olymipic Games against Marcus Browne of the USA. Hooper could face some form of sanction for wearing the Aboriginal colours. The 20-year-old, who should have emerged from the tunnel into the arena dressed in a red singlet, said he did not regret the gesture. AFP PHOTO / Jack GUEZ
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Damien Hooper’s spectacular first round victory over America’s Marcus Browne in the light heavyweight division at the Olympics has been overshadowed by the drama that came from the Australian’s walk out shirt, which displayed the Aboriginal flag.
Before coming to the Olympics, athletes were made to sign a charter saying that they will wear the team uniform at all times.
By flying the Aboriginal flag on his shirt, Hooper was in breach of this shirt. In addition, the IOC frowns upon athletes making political statements.
But was the action of the Australian Olympic Committee making the IOC aware of the issue needed? Couldn’t they have dealt with it quietly back in the athlete’s village when he returned after the fight?
If Hooper’s shirt had in fact displayed the Australian flag or a boxing kangaroo, which would have still been in breach of the rules, would we still be hearing about this in the press?
“We will talk to Damien and counsel him against doing it again,” said Australian team media director Mike Tancred.
Hooper wasn’t fazed by the drama, instead saying he was representing his culture.
“I’m Aboriginal, I’m representing my culture, not only my country but all my people as well,” Hooper said in an interview. “That’s what I wanted to do and I’m happy I did it.”
Former Olympic runner Cathy Freeman did a similar thing back in 1994 and 2000 when she ran a lap of the athletic track celebrating a win sporting both the Aboriginal and Australian flag, which was also criticised by the Australian chef.
Aboriginal boxer Anthony Mundine has thrown his support behind Hooper, saying that the 20-year-old “did the right thing”.
“I take my hat off to him for that stance,” Mundine told The Sydney Morning Herald.
“It takes a person with big balls to make a big stance like that. I’ve got his back, all day every day, because he’s in the right.”
But on the flip side, what makes Hooper more special than the rest of the athletes who follow the protocols?
I doubt this is the last we will hear on the story, but can’t we just let Hooper achieve his dream of winning gold?
Hooper will be back in action on Saturday night when he faces the well credentialed Russian Egor Mekhontcev for a spot in the quarter-finals.
- Explore:
- 2012 London Olympics, cathy freeman, Damien Hooper, Olympics
July 31st 2012 @ 3:36pm
Albo said | July 31st 2012 @ 3:36pm | Report comment
Like so many before him, Hooper will likely prove once again to fall short in his mission to achieve his considerable boxing potential at the Games, through a lack of focus and committment to the job he was selected to do !
He was not selected and sponsored by tax payer dollars to lobby political or social awareness of his background.
He was chosen to win an Olympic medal for his country ! To do that you don’t need any distractions to impair the concentration on throwing a left hook or an uppercut in the boxing ring!
Cathy Freeman made her statement AFTER she successfully completed her task of winning a gold medal!
Not before she even stepped onto the track for her heats ! She was the epitomy of focus on achieving the result under the weight of enormous expectation ! She is a great model for budding Olympians whether indigenous or of any racial background.
Young Hooper is very much in need of a good talking to from Cathy Freeman and not from Anthony Mundine !
July 31st 2012 @ 8:23pm
Graham Murray said | July 31st 2012 @ 8:23pm | Report comment
You could preface most of those comments with “I’m not racist but … “
July 31st 2012 @ 3:38pm
GrantOz said | July 31st 2012 @ 3:38pm | Report comment
Good points. Very interesting how we initially criticised Cathy Freeman for it, but quickly forgot simply because she won.
It’s pathetic when you think about it, the Australian mentality towards how we treat these issues.
What he did was the wrong thing. He signed an agreement he wouldn’t wear what he did. Freeman did a similar thing with the flag, but it was deemed excusable simply because she won. It seems that if you want to avoid the, in this case warranted, wrath of the media then it seems a gold medal will do the trick.
July 31st 2012 @ 3:52pm
apaway said | July 31st 2012 @ 3:52pm | Report comment
Albo
Cathy Freeman made it clear she was going to celebrate with the Aboriginal flag if she won gold in Sydney.
Damian Hooper wore a t-shirt celebrating pride in his heritage and culture. Good on him. The Olympics have become so sanitised and commercial that this was always going to attract attention.
July 31st 2012 @ 4:23pm
The Greatest Game Of All said | July 31st 2012 @ 4:23pm | Report comment
The kid meant no harm, he obviously didnt pay attention to the IOC rulebook, I dont think he was making a political statement at all, just showing his pride. His ‘rebelious’ attitude gives him a competitive edge IMO.
July 31st 2012 @ 4:34pm
BigAl said | July 31st 2012 @ 4:34pm | Report comment
Speaks heaps about his handlers – who did not see this coming!
Another feather in the cap of amateur boxing officialdom.
July 31st 2012 @ 7:15pm
Lost Earthling said | July 31st 2012 @ 7:15pm | Report comment
I don’t understand why our olympic uniform over the years has never seemed to embrace our countries history and the role the indigenous people have played with their culture and the battles they have fought for recognition. Perhaps if they put some aboriginal designs on the shirts or having a small aboriginal flag on the sleeve of the shirts would make the aboriginal athletes feel as though they are representing not only their country, but their ancestors.
July 31st 2012 @ 8:37pm
DJW said | July 31st 2012 @ 8:37pm | Report comment
Great point
July 31st 2012 @ 10:12pm
Jack Russell said | July 31st 2012 @ 10:12pm | Report comment
The problem is where do you draw the line about racial recognition? Plenty of Australians of differing races have made significant contributions to our history.
Just keep race out of it IMO. The Australian flag represents all Australians, and whilst i’m not a fan of the design with the UK flag in one corner, it still represents me as much as any other Aussie.
July 31st 2012 @ 7:36pm
Loui said | July 31st 2012 @ 7:36pm | Report comment
When you come from a culture with lower life expectancy, poor literacy levels and so many other differences between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians I think it is a fantastic acheivement to become an elite athlete. I think encouraging and promoting acheivements of indigenous Australians would go a long way in addressing issues. Perhaps as Lost Earthling said the real wrong doing here is the failure of the Australian uniform to represent the Aborigingal history of Australia.
For those who think its unfair and inequality so is the living conditions and life expectancy of indigenous Australians.
Promote and be proud of high achieving Aboriginals!!
July 31st 2012 @ 8:18pm
good job said | July 31st 2012 @ 8:18pm | Report comment
Clearly he was just showing the world he’s proud to be aboriginal… Since when has letting people know your nationality been a ‘political’ statement?
August 1st 2012 @ 7:38am
Ignoring the past and present said | August 1st 2012 @ 7:38am | Report comment
The reason why it has been interpreted as “political” is because the Australian Government sees it as a spotlight illuminating a decidedly dark, shameful and regrettable past as well as a complacent and incompetent present. By reporting Damien to the IOC it has only intensified the international interest in the issue and caused even more embarrassment to the Government.
I recognise that Damien did breach the agreement, and that the Olympics should be free from becoming a soapbox for any and all political, racial, social and religious causes, defining Damien’s act and motives as “political” shows just how ignorant we are of Indigenous Australia and their identity. Why don’t we allow both the Australian and Aboriginal flags to be used in the Olympics for athletes to choose which flag they wish to represent? Australia has two official flags and the games should reflect that.
This issue has again raised the profile of Indigenous issues in Australia and renewed interest and debate on the topic. If we had the right policies and the right attitude towards Indigenous Australia, would Damien have felt the need to indulge in this brave act of rebellion? It seems reasonable that he would not wish to identify with, much less to represent on an international stage, a flag that is still a reminder of a brutal occupation, the scars of which we still see today.
August 1st 2012 @ 10:29pm
Jack Russell said | August 1st 2012 @ 10:29pm | Report comment
Actually, Australia has at least 35 official flags (probably more), including such flags as the Queen’s personal flag, separate flags for every governor of every state (in addition to state and territory flags) and various military flags. If you want a great flag, check out the Christmas Island flag. Maybe we could choose to compete under that given it’s official and all.
July 31st 2012 @ 9:36pm
Stanza said | July 31st 2012 @ 9:36pm | Report comment
The Aboriginal and the Torres Strait Flags is a registered Australian flag, just like the Australian flag. So not only is the Aboriginal flag representative of a people within Australia but a celebration of where Australia was born from and for all Australians to embrace?. In no way is it a political statement, just a celebration of Coopers proud indigenous roots (God forbid they mention his aboriginal Tatoo on his shoulder). My understading is the IOC would deem this politcal if say an indonesian athlete wore a West Papua flag, Spainish athlete wore a Catalonian flag, French athelete wore a Basque flag etc. There is no independence movement of Indigenous Australians! By the way what a great fight, to bad for this distraction! Go Damian Cooper.
July 31st 2012 @ 11:07pm
Al Dante said | July 31st 2012 @ 11:07pm | Report comment
“Former Olympic runner Cathy Freeman did a similar thing back in 1994 and 2000 when she ran a lap of the athletic track celebrating a win sporting both the Aboriginal and Australian flag, which was also criticised by the Australian chef.”
Why should an Australian chef criticize anything other than food?
July 31st 2012 @ 11:12pm
Andrew Potter said | July 31st 2012 @ 11:12pm | Report comment
It was an AOC problem as he broke the Australian team rules by being out of uniform and not an IOC problem as they didn’t deem it as a political statement.
July 31st 2012 @ 11:15pm
GrantOz said | July 31st 2012 @ 11:15pm | Report comment
You are correct. Everyone else here telling you otherwise needs to consider…
Whether the rule that he can’t express his identity is fair one is NOT part of the issue. The fact is, they know they must wear uniform and he didn’t.
Simple as that.