Olympics

'Rising Sun Flag' Surfboard Design Causes Waves at Paris 2024 Olympics

Its surfers weren't competing but the South Koreans objected anyway to an Australian Olympian's surfboard design based on Japan's Rising Sun naval ensign.

Published

3 months ago

August 9, 2024

Shimpei Okuhara

The Rising Sun Flag is hoisted on the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force's escort ship "Kurama" at Kobe Port in Kobe. March 23, 2015 (©Sankei)

Tahiti of all places has become the epicenter of a Paris 2024 Summer Olympics row. This one involves the Rising Sun Flag long used as the naval ensign in Japan.

The surfing competition portion of the Paris Games began on this island in French Polynesia on July 27. That was when the South Korean TV network MBC quickly started a controversy. It reported that top Australian surfer Jack Robinson had brought surfboards emblazoned with a design modeled after the Rising Sun Flag.

In addition to questioning whether the Australian surfer would actually use the boards in competition, the Korean Sports & Olympic Association (KSOC) lodged a protest with the Australian team. That resulted in Robinson announcing that he would repaint the boards. However, it also meant Robinson could not compete with the boards as he had prepared them for the Olympics.

Starting With a Korean TV Network

MBC started the controversy when it published a detailed online article on July 31. It noted that on June 26 Robinson had posted photos on his own Instagram account showing the surfboards with Rising Sun-inspired designs. The 26-year-old was planning on taking these boards to Tahiti for the Olympic competition.

Robinson has acknowledged that Hawaiian surfing legend Andy Irons influenced his design choice. The three-time pro world champion, who died in 2010, had regularly competed with surfboards bearing a similar design.

*A Jack Robinson surfboard inspired by Andy Irons' artsy designs resembling the Japanese naval ensign, "Rising Sun Flag." (via sachihirayama X (formerly Twitter))*

Meanwhile, MBC reporters were briefed by the coach of South Korea's national surfing team. The reporters then sent social media messages and emails to Robinson such as the following. "Are you aware that the design on your surfboards resembles the Rising Sun Flag, a symbol of Japanese imperialism?" And, "Are you planning to use those boards in the Paris Olympics?"

The posts were reportedly deleted. However, MBC informed the KSOC that Robinson had not confirmed that he would not be using surfboards with the Rising Sun design. That was when the KSOC lodged its protest with the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC).

South Korean Spoiler

It appears to have been the AOC that released Robinson's subsequent comment. That said Robinson would not be using surfboards with the Rising Sun design on them.

The South Korean coach told MBC that he plans to inform the International Surfing Association (ISA) and other organizations about the situation. It seems he plans to ask surfers around the world to avoid using Rising Sun designs on their surfboards.

Robinson is an elite surfer who took home the silver medal in the Paris Olympics surfing championship on August 6. South Korea did not have an athlete qualify for entry in the Olympic surfing competition.

(Read the report in Japanese.)

Author: Shinpei Okuhara