Tunisia dissolves swimming federation in dispute over flag

Tunis: Tunisian President Kais Saied ordered the national swimming federation dissolved after the country s flag was covered at a meet in Tunis in res...

Tunis: Tunisian President Kais Saied ordered the national swimming federation dissolved after the country's flag was covered at a meet in Tunis in response to sanctions by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

Images on social media showed the flag covered by a red cloth on Friday during the Tunisian Open Masters championship, organised by the national swimming federation at the Rades Olympic pool.

At the end of April, WADA suspended Tunisia's National Anti-Doping Agency (ANAD) for non-compliance with its code. Among the punishments, said WADA, "Tunisia's flag will not be flown at regional, continental or world championships".

On Friday night, a video released by the president's office showed Saied visiting the pool, near Tunis, raising the flag and singing the national anthem, in a meeting with Prime Minister Ahmed Hachani and other cabinet members, Saied said the country cannot "tolerate this.

Tunisia comes before the Olympic Committee and before any other committees." An apparently agitated Saied called the flag covering "an act of aggression".