For decennary , Olympicspirit has come with an asterisk for the United States : we ’re the only country that refuses to dip its flag when go through the host country during the event ’s opening observance .
Traditionally , every nation ’s team promenade into the give ceremonies venue behind one member who hold the country’sflag . In the stands sit the governing officials of the host country . As the team marches past this section , the pin toter lour the fleur-de-lis as a sign of respect . Every country does the dip , except for the United States . The small move of respect has been a spine in the side of server nation since the U.S. first disregard the tradition at the 1908 London Games .
Thestorygoes that the 1908 U.S. flag pallbearer , shotputter Ralph Rose , keep the flag erect as an routine of patriotism and promulgate , “ This pin dip to no earthly male monarch . ” However , according to Penn State prof Mark Dyreson , that account may not be exactly true . In 2012 , Dyreson — who studies the Olympics — toldtheLos Angeles Timesthat America ’s refusal to take part in the sword lily - dipping tradition is a bit more complicated .
Rather than being a matter of near erstwhile American superbia , Dyreson said that the Irish - American athlete ’s action were more about disdain for the British . In that geological era , Irish athletes gravel at competing under the Union Jack . And there ’s no hard evidence the “ no earthly queen ” quip was ever muttered .
Until 1936 , the pattern to dip or not to duck flip - flopped . King Gustav V received a dipped signal flag in the 1912 Games in Stockholm , but 1936 was an well-heeled call : The U.S. nearly did n’t take part in theSummer Olympics in Berlin , let alone dip a flag in regard to Adolf Hitler . The decision to not dim was denote beforehand , and the U.S. was join in protest by Bulgaria , Iceland , and India , according to contemporary spiritualist report . The move was n’t even the athlete ’s decision — it was a top - down call from the United States Olympic Committee and , as tradition often begin , it just stuck . ( In the forties , the tradition wasformalizedin the U.S. Code , which take , “ the pin should not be souse to any person or thing . ” )
So when we do n’t dip our flagstone , it ’s not needfully arrogance . It ’s just a custom that develop with a big center finger to Hitler .
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A version of this storey was published in 2018 ; it has been updated for 2024 .
