Did the US flag hilariously fall at the 2024 Paris Olympics?! Take a look at the viral video, and find out what the facts really are!
Claim : US flag hilariously fell at the 2024 Paris Olympics!
Some people are sharing a video on WhatsApp, TikTok, Douyin and X (formerly Twitter), which suggests that the US flag hilariously fell at the 2024 Olympics, causing people to laugh and applaud!
偷得富盛半日闲 : 大漂亮国兴奋剂吃多了，国旗都感到难为情，不好意思挂在上面了 观众也欢呼雀跃……
Translated : After taking too many performance enhancers, the flag itself felt embarrassed and didn’t want to stay up. The audience cheered and rejoiced…
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Truth : US flag did not fall at the 2024 Paris Olympics!
This is yet another example of fake news about the 2024 Paris Olympics, and here are the reasons why…
Fact #1 : US flag did not fall at the 2024 Paris Olympics
Let me start by quickly pointing out that the US flag did not fall, or fly away, at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
If that actually happened, it would have been reported by the mainstream media, or shared widely on social media. Yet, there has been no legitimate media reporting of such an incident. Neither has there been any major outcry on social media.
In fact, this video appears to be only shared by Chinese netizens on Douyin (China’s version of TikTok), or on Western platforms like WhatsApp, TikTok, and X (formerly known as Twitter).
Fact #2 : Viral video was recorded in 2012 Olympics
The viral video is genuine, but it was not recorded in France, during the 2024 Paris Olympics. It was actually recorded at the 2012 London Olympics on 4 August 2012 – 12 years ago.
The incident occurred after American tennis star Serena Williams defeated Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova, thus winning the Olympic singles gold medal. As the flags of the United States, Russia, and Belarus (whose Viktoria Azarenka won the bronze medal) were being raised, the strong wind blew the US flag off its metal pole, and it fell on to the crowd below.
As US media outlet NPR reported at that time, Olympic staffers quickly retrieved the American flag, which was later carried around with Serena Williams as the medalists walked to each side of the court to pose for photos.
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Fact #3 : Chinese netizens appear to share this video every 4 years
Even though this video was recorded 12 years ago, Chinese netizens appear to repost it at every Olympic Games – apparently to suggest that the American flag was falling at each Olympic Games.
For example, just 3 years ago, Chinese netizens shared the same video, claiming that it showed the US flag falling at the last Olympics in Tokyo:
Tokyo Olympics, the US national flag fell down. The US’s luck has come to an end. Everyone applauded. The one who hates the American most is actually the Japanese.
It is very likely that Chinese netizens will share this same video in 2028, claiming that the US flag fell down at the Los Angeles Olympics.
Interestingly, some of these Chinese netizens are sharing this video on Western platforms that are banned in China. It would suggest that they have Chinese government permission to use those banned platforms, or VPNs (which are essentially outlawed for personal use in China).
Fact #4 : This Is Just CCP Propaganda
Ultimately, this appears to be nothing more than than yet another example of propaganda created or promoted by the infamous Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛), and/or pro-CCP netizens. Here are some other examples I fact-checked recently:
- Chinese outrage + drama at 2024 Paris Olympics fact checked!
- Did Western reporter bump Chinese athlete in racist attack?!
- Did British women divers refuse to hug Chinese gold medalists?!
- Did Alexy + Chalmers disrespect Pan Zhanle at 2024 Olympics?!
- Did Western media try to drug Pan Zhanle at 2024 Olympics?!
- Is Taiwan Stationing Tanks + Weapons In Temples + Churches?!
- Did Donald Trump Just Praise HUAWEI + China?!
- Did The US Bomb All These Countries Since World War 2?!
- Did China Airdrop Food Aid To Palestinians In Gaza?!
- Did US Send 7000 Insects To Destroy Crops In China?!
As always, please be skeptical whenever you see such videos circulating on WhatsApp or social media platforms.
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Name : Adrian Wong
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
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