What you see is the boxing kangaroo displayed by Australian athletes.
Boxing kangaroo is Australia's national incarnation, which is common in popular culture, especially when Australian athletes participate in sports competitions such as cricket, tennis and American football, as well as Commonwealth Games and Olympic Games.
The flag with it as the main body is also called "Australian Sports Flag".
History
The idea of boxing kangaroos comes from the self-defense instinct of kangaroos-short front legs ("arms") wear boxing gloves, and at the same time kick, sweep or dig opponents with thick hind legs. This posture makes people feel that kangaroos are boxing with boxing gloves.
the image of boxing kangaroo was known at the latest in 1891, when an animation named "Jack, the fighting kangaroo with professor Lenderman" appeared in a newspaper in Sydney. This image was inspired by the 19th century inland adventure program about kangaroos fighting people with boxing gloves. A German silent film "Boxing Kangaroo" directed by Max Skladanowsky in 1895 (Das Boxende K? Nguruh) and The Boxing Kangaroo, a silent film directed by Birt Acres in 1896, both show kangaroos boxing with people. The American animated short films The Boxing Kangaroo》(192), Mickey's Kangaroo》(1935) and Pop 'Im Pop! "(1949) deepened the impression of boxing kangaroo in popular culture.
During World War II, the boxing kangaroo became the national symbol of the Royal Australian Air Force, and was sprayed on the 21st Squadron fighters stationed in Singapore and British Malaya around 1941 to distinguish it from the British fighters. This practice quickly spread to other troops, and even the Royal Australian Navy ships < P > were sprayed with this pattern.
In p>1983, boxing kangaroo attracted the attention of the whole country and the whole world as a symbol of Australia's successful impact on the America's Cup. At that time, the green flag of a golden kangaroo wearing red boxing gloves was hung on the boat "Australia II". Alan Bond, the owner of the ship, owns this image and authorizes mass production. Then this image was bought by the Australian Olympic Committee as a mascot to represent the Australian team and promote sports and fair competition in schools.
Controversy over the 21 Winter Olympics
During the 21 Winter Olympics, the International Olympic Committee asked the Australian delegation to remove the two-story Australian boxing kangaroo flag hanging outside the balcony in the Olympic Village because they thought it was a registered trademark (although it was only a registered trademark of the non-profit Australian Olympic Committee) and was too commercialized.
This decision of the International Olympic Committee subsequently attracted many criticisms, including Julia Gillard, Deputy Prime Minister of Australia, who made it clear that she supported the athletes and called the decision of the International Olympic Committee to order the flag to be removed "absurd". Later, the Australian team decided that it would not take down the flag unless it received a formal written notice.
On February 8th, 21, there was a meeting between IOC President jacques rogge and Australian Olympic Committee President John Coates, and it was decided that the kangaroo flag could be left in place. Coates said: "The IOC has a clear host policy to protect the commercial rights of sponsors, but for this incident, Australia does not want to set a trap for the IOC and the organizing Committee of the 21 Vancouver Winter Olympics."