Armed forces to raise flags at London 2012

12 March 2012

Members of the Armed Forces will raise flags at the London 2012 Welcome and Victory Ceremonies The flag bearers for the team Welcome and Victory Ceremonies at the London Olympic and Paralympic Games were announced last week. The service personnel of the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force (176 men and women) will participate in 100 Team Welcome Ceremonies as well as 805 Victory Ceremonies throughout the Games. The teams, which have been chosen due to their sporting or operational achievements, or their involvement in the local community, will consist of six flag bearers and one flag manager. There will be eight Royal Navy, nine Army and eight RAF teams, as well as one commander who will sit with the Welcome and Victory Ceremonies team. Team Welcome Ceremonies are designed to welcome all the participating athletes and team officials to the Games. This year over 100 Team Welcome Ceremonies will take place on the days before the Opening Ceremonies of both the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Victory Ceremonies (a total of 805 will be held this year) take place as soon as a medal event is completed. Once the awarding of medals is finished, the flags of the winning countries (gold, silver and bronze) are raised while the national anthem of the winning athlete is played. The Victory Ceremonies give the athletes the opportunity to celebrate their achievement and allow their home country to be united in the celebration of the success. For the Games this year the London Philharmonic Orchestra records the different anthems in advance. The National Youth Theater will be the ones creating, writing, staging and performing the ceremonies that will welcome over 200 Olympic and 170 Paralympic teams. The flag raising duties at Olympic and Paralympic Games are seen as an honour but we are in fact honoured to have these inspirational men and women be part of London 2012. Sebastian Coe, LOCOG Char said of the flag bearers. Hugh Robertson, Minister for Sport and the Olympics, said: Out Armed Forces are world renowned for their ceremonial excellence. As a former serviceman myself I am delighted that they will perform such an important role at the Games.