US commentator Mike Tirico torn apart over wrong flag blunder

A US commentator has been called out after claiming a French star was wearing a Palestinian flag after the men’s basketball gold medal match.

Lessort was wrongly called out over his flag. Photo by Damien MEYER / AFP

US commentator Mike Tirico has apologised after he incorrectly claimed that French basketball star Mathias Lessort was wearing a Palestinian flag after the men’s basketball gold medal match in Paris.

The US defeated France 98-87 on the back of a Steph Curry masterclass but French backup centre Lessort was pointed out as he held up a flag on the medal dias as he waited to accept his silver medal.

“You saw with Lessort, one of the backup centres, the Palestine flag draped over his shoulders as well,” the NBC host Tirico said on the live broadcast.

“We are certainly conscious of any displays regarding the Middle East conflict from athletes involved in these games.”

The only problem was that it wasn’t a Palestinian flag, but rather the flag of Caribbean island of French overseas department Martinique, which is part of the French West Indies.

Lessort holds the flag proudly. Photo by Damien MEYER / AFP)

Considering the Martinique flag has a red triangle with two horizontal stripes of green and black compared to the Palestinian flag which has a red triangle with three horizontal stripes of black, white and green, it may have been somewhat understandable for some.

But considering the tensions in the Middle East and the conflict in Gaza, the blunder carried considerably more weight.

Barstool Sports host Jeff D. Lowe commented: “Kind of shocked that nobody from the NBC truck got in Mike Tirico’s ear to tell him that is NOT the Palestine flag out there during the medal ceremony. That would be the Martinique flag.”

One fan tweeted: “That’s really a shame he did that to the French athlete.”

Another said: “Rare miss from Mike Tirico, but that is in fact not the Palestinian flag draped on Lessort’s shoulders. It is the flag of Martinique.”

A third wrote: “Mike Tirico not knowing the flag of Martinique. And loudly stating wrong info. Classic.”

Omg Mathias Lessort is wearing a flag from Martinique (the French territory where he was born) but Mike Tirico thinks it’s a Palestinian flag 😬😬😬 pic.twitter.com/2NSnKLxteP

— kiara (@kiaradidwhat) August 10, 2024

Tirico was quick to acknowledge his mistake, taking to X to respond and promising to correct the error on-air.

“Just acknowledging, as soon as possible, my error for misidentifying the Martinique flag as the flag of Palestine during the medal ceremony at Men’s Basketball today. They are similar but obviously distinctly different which is quite important for all involved,” Tirico tweeted.

“I apologise for the error and will correct on-air during our prime time show tonight.”

Fans praised the NBC host for his “professionalism” in owning his mistake.

Lessort draped in his home’s flag. Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

The blunder came after the star-studded US team won their fifth straight Olympic men’s basketball crown.

In a rematch of the Tokyo Olympics final three years ago, LeBron James and the US team stacked with NBA stars once again proved too much for France, despite the efforts of sensational NBA Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama.

France sliced a 14-point deficit to three with just over three minutes to play on Wembanyama’s put-back dunk, but Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry drilled a three-pointer — one of four from him with less than three minutes remaining — to power the US to victory.

The all-time leader in made three-pointers in NBA history, Curry finished with eight triples — including a rainbow over a leaping Wembanyama — to lead US scoring with 24 points.

“You just simply marvel,” James said of Curry. “Having him on your side, you just try to get stops and figure out other ways on the other end but keep finding him, keep getting him the ball.”

No doubt about that flag. Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP

Curry said of his late-game heroics: “I was just trying to settle us down.”

“All we wanted to do was get a good shot. It had been a while since we had a good possession.

“(Finally) the momentum was on our side. At that point, your mind goes blank. You don’t really care about setting or the scenario or anything. It’s just a shot.”

Kevin Durant and Devin Booker added 15 points apiece and James scored 14 with six rebounds, 10 assists, a steal and a block.

For Durant it was a US men’s record fourth Olympic gold. James earned his third and Curry, a four-time NBA champion, claimed his first in his first Olympic appearance.

With AFP

Originally published as US commentator Mike Tirico torn apart over wrong flag blunder