Tasmania Gets Snubbed Again; Island Missing in Australia’s Uniform at Glasgow 2014
The island of Tasmania got another brow-raising snub once again, 32 years after the infamous performance in the opening ceremony of the 1982 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane.
The Apple Isle is nowhere to be found once again on the uniform of the Australian athletes competing at the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. The Aussie uniform supposed to depict the entire map of Australia; however, it seems the designers took Tasmania for granted.
Tasmanian natives were furious after learning that their island state got another brush-off, more than three decades after performance at the 1982 Games snubbed Tasmania when they formed a map of Australia in the opening ceremony.
"I hope that it was an oversight and not deliberate. Tasmania also disappeared from Olympic medals and posters for Baz Luhrmann's movie Australia, so it's very disappointing that the same oversight has happened a number of times," Tasmanian senator Jacqui Lambie said in an exclusive interview with news.com.au.
Lambie stressed that simple apology won't be enough to ease the pain Tasmanians are feeling right now. He believed the Australian government has been ignoring Tasmania for quite some time not only in the form of its omission on the athletes' uniform but as well as budget cuts.
The Tasmania senator is expecting an apology from the Australian prime minister or the country's sports minister for the huge embarrassment that left Tasmanians disappointed and feeling neglected.
Olympic hurdler Tristan Thomas, hammer thrower Huw Peacock, Jenna Myers, Jackson Woods and Nick Cooney are some of the Australian Commonwealth Games hailed from Tasmania.
Athletic Tasmania president Mike Gunson credited the state's strong grass roots development program for the emergence of medal-contending athletes such as Thomas and Peacock, who are expected to make some noise in Glasgow.
For more Australian Sports and Commonwealth Games update, read more at IBT Sports