Welcoming our returning Olympic heroes (From Western Telegraph)

Welcoming our returning Olympic heroes

3:02pm Tuesday 2nd September 2008

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I was fortunate to have the opportunity to congratulate our Welsh Olympians during their homecoming last week, and it was fantastic to see the crowds that gathered to show their support. It has been fantastic to see so many world class Welsh athletes performing at the highest level.

It is disappointing however that our athletes could not display our national flag when receiving their medals. The Welsh flag was banned from official venues at the Olympics in a crackdown by Chinese authorities. Supporters and competitors traveling to the Games faced a strict ban on waving the Ddraig Goch in celebration.

Only the flags of the 205 Olympic nations, including Great Britain, can be taken into the showpiece arenas, according to "house rules" published by the organising committee before the Games.

The rule, believed to be aimed at potential Tibetans, independence demonstrators, effectively vetoes the Welsh and Scottish flags and is unacceptable, and I’m glad that Wales’ heritage Minister Alun Ffred Jones agrees.

Sport can play a role in making society healthier as well as raising Wales’ profile on the international stage. I hope their achievements will encourage young and old to take up more physical activity, which is essential for their well-being.

The One Wales Government is committed to provide extra support for sports bodies wishing to develop Welsh national teams. Let us hope that more young people will be inspired to represent Wales in the future.

In the next year or so we will see huge sporting events coming to Wales – an Ashes test match in 2009 and the Ryder Cup in 2010. During these events, Wales will be in the living rooms of nations right across the globe.