Theboxing kangaroo is anational symbol of Australia, frequently seen in pop culture. The symbol is often displayed prominently by Australian spectators at sporting events, such as at cricket, tennis, basketball and football matches, and at theCommonwealth and Olympic Games. The flag is also highly associated with its namesake national rugby league team –the Kangaroos. A distinctive flag featuring the symbol has since been considered Australia's sporting flag.[1]
The idea of aboxingkangaroo originates from the animal's defensivebehaviour, in which it will use its smaller forelegs (its arms) to hold an attacker in place while using the claws on its larger hind legs to try to kick, slash or disembowel them. This stance gives the impression that the kangaroo appears to be boxing with its attacker.
The image of the boxing kangaroo has been known since at least 1891, when a cartoon titled "Jack, the fighting Kangaroo with Professor Lendermann" appeared in the magazineMelbourne Punch.[2][3] In the late 19th century, outback travelling shows featured kangaroos wearing boxing gloves fighting against men.[4]Das Boxende Känguruh, an 1895 German silent film directed byMax Skladanowsky, and an English silent film,The Boxing Kangaroo, produced byBirt Acres in 1896 also both featured kangaroos boxing against men, while such American animated shorts asThe Boxing Kangaroo (1920),Mickey's Kangaroo (1935) andPop 'Im Pop! (1949) helped establish the concept of a boxing kangaroo as a popular culture cliché.[citation needed]. The 1933 filmHell Below features a boxing match between a kangaroo andJimmy Durante. The 1970 novelMatilda byPaul Gallico, and the subsequent 1978 Hollywood movieMatilda, which starredElliott Gould andRobert Mitchum, featured a boxing kangaroo that was exploited forprize fighting.
During World War II boxing kangaroos were stencilled on Australian fighter aircraft ofNo. 21 Squadron RAAF based in Singapore andMalaya to differentiate their aircraft from British planes.[citation needed] The practice soon spread to other units, as well as onto ships in theRoyal Australian Navy.[citation needed]
In 1983 the boxing kangaroo received national and international prominence when it served as the symbol for the successful Australian challenge for theAmerica's Cup, where the boxing kangaroo flag, a red-gloved golden kangaroo on a green background, was flown from the yachtAustralia II.Alan Bond (owner of theAustralia II yacht) owned the image and licensed it for mass production. The image was later bought by theAustralian Olympic Committee, and is used as a mascot to represent the Australian Olympic team and to promote sport and fair play in schools.[5][6]
The Boxing Kangaroo design created in 1983 as part of the successful Australian challenge to the America's Cup – and later bought by the Australian Olympic Committee – was originally designed by Steve Castledine, now a widely respected fine artist specialising in watercolours.
Leading up to the2010 Winter Olympics, theInternational Olympic Committee ordered the removal of a two-story high Australian boxing kangaroo flag that had been draped over a balcony in the athletes' village by Australian athletes. The IOC ordered the flag to be taken down as they believed the symbol to be "too commercial" as it is a registered trademark (albeit of theAustralian Olympic Committee, a non-profit organization).[6]
The IOC subsequently drew widespread criticism for its request, including from Deputy Prime Minister of AustraliaJulia Gillard, who came out in support of the athletes, declaring that the IOC made a ridiculous decision by ordering the flag's removal. The Australian team later decided they would only take down the flag upon receiving a formal written request for its removal.[1]
On 8 February 2010, after a meeting between IOC presidentJacques Rogge and Australian Olympic Committee presidentJohn Coates, it was agreed the green and gold flag featuring a kangaroo wearing boxing gloves could stay. "The IOC has a clean venue policy in order to protect the commercial rights of its sponsors", Coates said, "but clearly on this occasion Australia was not trying to ambush either the IOC orVANOC".[7]
