Confusion over black caps worn by Irish swimmers
Confusion reigned again today over exactly why Ireland's three Olympic swimmers have been wearing black Speedo caps in the Beijing pool rather than their shamrock-logoed Irish caps.
The whispers began when Andrew Bree, the first Irish competitor in action at the Water Cube, wore a black cap for yesterday's 100 metres breaststroke heats.
Bree actually wore his white Ireland cap under the black one, revealing it after the race.
Later on, 18-year-old Dubliner Aisling Cooney was also clad in all black for her 100m backstroke heat.
Media reports then surfaced alleging that the shamrock logo contravenes Olympic rules on logo size.
Keith Bewley, the Irish swimming team manager, said in a newspaper interview: "I could understand if it was a big sponsor's sign, which is probably what the rule was originally designed for, but this is the national symbol.
"FINA (the international governing body of swimming) don't have this rule, but it's too late now to get new ones made up, so we just have to wear plain black caps instead."
However, the Olympic Council of Ireland have released a statement this evening insisting that the wearing of the black caps has nothing to do with a banning of the shamrock logo.
"Further to media enquiries, the Olympic Council of Ireland wish to clarify the situation regarding the shamrock on Andrew Bree's swimming cap," the statement read.
"Poolside Olympic officials at the swimming venue refused to let Andrew wear his competition cap because of the size and number of the commercial logos on the item - not the shamrock symbol."
The OCI statement also lays the blame for 'cap gate' on Swim Ireland, the national swimming federation.
"Swim Ireland, who are responsible for swimming performance gear, were instructed on many occasions by the OCI that the swimming gear should be unbranded - and this requirement was accepted and agreed.
"Wherever possible, the International Olympic Committee encourages all nations to maximise their national identity on all Olympic clothing equipment and accessories.
"They particularly encourage the use of national colours and symbols."
The ridiculousness of the situation really struck home earlier today when Belfast swimmer Melanie Nocher had to readjust her goggles during her 200m freestyle heat.
As she explained afterwards, the goggles mishap was largely down to the fact that she was wearing a new cap.
"My goggles filled up with water as soon as I dived in, I couldn't see anything even to spot my turns," Nocher conceded.
"I was going to stop and try and fix them but that would have made things worse.
"I had to put my goggles on the outside rather on the inside as I normally would because it was a different cap and that's what probably did it."
