Olympics

Olympic officials are offering concessions on flags and anthems to persuade the Ukraine--and pole vaulter Sergei Bubka--to join a unified team of former Soviet republics at the Summer Games.

IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch said that the protocol arrangements will be different from those in use at the Albertville Winter Games, where the Unified Team is represented by the Olympic flag and anthem.

In Barcelona, the flags and anthems of separate republics will be used when unified team athletes win individual events. The Olympic flag and anthem will continue to be used for team sports.

“If Sergei Bubka, for example, is a winner, the Ukrainian national anthem will be played and the Ukrainian flag will be raised,” Samaranch said. “This is quite important. This is the last step to full independence.”