We don’t need the union jack on Team GB’s kit – it’s ugly and divisive| Jonathan Jones

Athlete Greg Rutherford is unhappy about the lack of a union standard on his team vest. He shouldn’t be – it’s high time we had a new flag

The trouble with the United Kingdom’s flag, when you come to think about it, is that it is really quite ugly. I have every sympathy for the designers who removed it from the British athletics team’s vests for the imminent World Athletics Championships in Beijing. Olympic long jump champion Greg Rutherford has complained that “it isn’t a British kit any more” because it hasn’t got the union flag, but the decision makes sense aesthetically. The new vest is an elegant flowing dance of red, white and blue – the flag’s colours, remember – and has Great Britain written on it in big letters. It just doesn’t have that jagged, explosive, aggressive flag.

Well this isn't right... Where's the Union Jack!?!? @BritAthletics (this is the kit for worlds) pic.twitter.com/RAVoi6yRex

Related: Design a Team GB athletics kit that isn't 'ridiculous' (with or without a union flag)

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