Bethan Jenkins AC/AM Blog

So, we’ve made quite a big deal here in Wales, and rightly so, about the fact that our athletes cannot fly the Welsh flag at the Olympics, despite a Welsh woman being the first of the team GB to win a Gold medal there this year. Adam Price MP has floated the idea previously that Wales should have its own Olympic team, and so too did Dr Geraint Tudur, general secretary of the Union of Welsh Independents when the news of the Welsh flag ban was released during the Eisteddfod last week. In fact, Dr Tudur went as far as to say ‘that this is contrary to the Olympic Charter itself which insists on “respect for universal fundamental ethical principles”.

Wales will surely continue the crusade in reversing this anomaly on the part of the Olympic organisers to ban the Welsh flag, and will push to further Welsh sporting achievements on an International level, but in the meantime, I am interested in finding out what your opinions are with regards to the fact that Welsh athletes must sing God Save the Queen at events where they represent Britain. The campaign group Republic (a group that lobbies for a directly elected head of state in the UK) has recently launched a new blog, the latest entry arguing the case for a new national anthem to replace God Save the Queen, that athletes and the like can sing at such events.

Now, many Welsh people may not take issue with the Royal family itself, but many representing the UK currently may equally wish to sing an anthem that directly reflects their success, and their appreciation of where they come from. Does singing God Save the Queen reflect this reality? Does it matter what people sing on such occasions?

We all know that the Olympics is going to London in 2012, and I believe that discussions about identity and Nationality within Britain should take place before that event. Could it not be argued that Welsh Olympians should be allowed to choose to sing ‘Hen Wlad fy Nhadau’ instead of God Save the Queen, or as an addition to that anthem?  This could of course be the case for those from Scotland and Northern Ireland who may too seek to sing their respective anthems.

For those of us who are Welsh Republicans and Nationalists, the British anthem does not reflect our identity at all, yet the status quo remains. For how long is the question, especially as there is now a tide of interest in the effort to introduce an alternative oath of allegiance.