The National Rugby League has slammed suggestions rainbow pride flags will not be allowed at the grand final match on Sunday evening.
Reports emerged Saturday that the NRL had scrapped political messages and gay marriage signs from the game, but the organisation has denied such claims.
NRL communications manager Glenn Jackson told Nine News ahead of the Melbourne Storm and North Queensland Cowboys clash that ‘rainbow flags have not been banned’.
The National Rugby League has slammed suggestions rainbow pride flags will not be allowed at the grand final match on Sunday
Restrictions would still be imposed however, with items emblazoned with ‘content deemed offensive’, such as swear words, not allowed.
In addition, size conditions have also been placed on flags and banners and they will be checked by security staff upon entry.
‘Standard conditions of entry require that flags are limited to a 1.4m flagpole size,’ Mr Jackson said.
‘Any flags above that size are required to be registered prior to entry… All flags are checked on entry for content as the stadium would for any major event.’
Reports emerged Saturday that the NRL had scrapped political messages and gay marriage signs from the season deciding match, but the organisation has since denied such claims
A spokesperson said ahead of the Melbourne Storm and North Queensland Cowboys clash that the flags had not been banned and usual restrictions would apply
The move appears to be in contrast to ANZ Stadium’s entry guidelines that state displaying political images or logos could see a person banned.
‘Patrons wearing or otherwise displaying inappropriate or unauthorised commercial, political, religious or other offensive images or logos may be denied entry or asked to remove such items,’ the conditions reads.
It comes after reports suggested anything that may ‘upset other patrons’ would not be allowed in the stadium, according to the Daily Telegraph.
The grand final has been steeped in controversy this week, after it emerged American rapper Macklemore would perform his hit song and gay marriage anthem ‘Same Love’.
The 34-year-old was booked by the NRL as the half-time entertainment and revealed the song choice as part of his set list.
The move appears to be in contrast to ANZ Stadium’s entry guidelines that state displaying political images or logos could see a person banned
It comes after reports suggested items that may ‘upset other patrons’ would not be allowed in the stadium, according to the Daily Telegraph
However, the popular song outraged the same-sex marriage ‘No’ campaign, with many condemning it as ‘politicising sport’.
Thousands of football fans, including former prime minister Tony Abbott, backed a Change.org petition demanding Macklemore omit the song.
But the songwriter hit back at critics during a radio interview with The Cruz Show, saying he was ‘getting a lot of tweets from angry old white dudes’.
And during his first media appearance in the country on Saturday, he pledged to donate the Australian earnings of the song to the ‘Yes’ campaigners.
‘I haven’t figured it out yet but I was saying in the car ride over that I want to donate my portion of the proceeds that I get off that record ‘Same Love’, here in Australia, to voting Yes,’ he said.
‘So I need to figure out what that looks like and how to do that but that is something that I’m going to do.’
The grand final has been steeped in controversy this week, after it emerged American rapper Macklemore would perform his hit song ‘Same Love,’ with the singer later stating he would be donating the Australian earnings to the ‘Yes’ campaign
Meanwhile, an ad supporting the marriage status quo will run during Sunday night’s game despite being banned during the AFL grand final.
The advertisement was excluded during Richmond’s victory over Adelaide on Saturday after being deemed too rude, according to Sky News.
It features abusive messages that the Coalition for Marriage says it has received since the plebiscite began.
The statements include comments such as ‘I genuinely hope someone kicks your teeth in’, ‘homophobic maggots’ and ‘homophobic bigot’.
It was banned because of the day-time AFL kick off time, with the NRL decider’s is 8.30pm start late enough for it to air.