Singapore Polo Team's Trunks "Inappropriate"

Singapore rebuked its national water polo team for wearing swim trunks that feature an "inappropriate" likeness of the city-state's flag.

The trunks, which were designed by members of the men's team currently competing in the Asian Games in Guangzhou, China, show the flag's white crescent moon jutting up from the groin area with five stars to the side on a red background.

"Unfortunately the team did not seek our advice on the use of the crescent moon and stars when they designed their swim trunks," the Information Ministry said in a statement Thursday. "We would have told them that their design is inappropriate as we want elements of the flag to be treated with dignity."

The ministry, which normally evaluates the use of the flag on uniforms on a case-by-case basis, declined to specify which part of the design was objectionable.

The trunks sparked a controversy in the local media and on Internet message boards, with some offended by the use of the national flag while others were amused at the furor.

Asian Games rules stipulate that a team's uniform cannot be changed in the middle of the tournament, so the government will allow the water polo players to wear the trunks when they play Kuwait on Thursday for fifth place. The team apologized and said it would retire the trunks after the Asian Games.

"We didn't have the slightest intention to do anything funny on our trunks to insult Singapore," team manager Samuel Wong, who helped design the trunks, told the Straits Times.

[jeannettelj]

This story has been in the "strange" section for 4 days now. Time to move on.

[jxknowles]

Team spokesman, Hung Lo, said there was never any intent to insult Singapore. I believe him.

[brian_norwood]

Definitely inappropriate for for the Chinese team. To be accurate to scale, the crescent should be no longer than 4 inches.

[erasmus111]

Is that how long your crescent is?

[darwufche]

Who cares? Prudes.
Get a life.

[erichsh]

"We didn't have the slightest intention to do anything funny on our trunks," said team manager Samuel "Long Dong" Wong.

[straightener--2008]

Much ado about nothing. And here I was thinking we Americans were the biggest prudes on the planet. I was at a pool this summer and all the guys were wearing clam diggers. I'm surprised they weren't wearing onesies like in the 40s.

[imnho]

Sounds like the designer had a pair of big stones too design this. I guess he will have to go back to the drawing board and she what comes up.

[sunide]

Now, if the stars had been placed on either side of the moon... Well, then I would have to wonder.... ;)

[bobnjersey]

["We didn't have the slightest intention to do anything funny on our trunks to insult Singapore," team manager Samuel Wong, who helped design the trunks, told the Straits Times. ]
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c'mon ... nobody from the team noticed this?

[northof62]

This must be difficult for a country that would jail foreign nationals for spitting gum on the street. I find the suits quite amusing and think they would be the most sought for item at the Games. Preferably washed beforehand.