Frampton 'proud' to represent Ireland but never wanted 'neutral flag'

Carl Frampton has said he was "proud" to fight under the Irish tricolour and "never once" thought about asking for a "more neutral flag" while representing Ireland.

The boxer also said he would be "proud to fight under the Ulster Banner" following controversy over a proposal to change Northern Ireland's Commonwealth Games flag.

Earlier this week, Commonwealth Games NI (CGNI) said it would replace the Ulster Banner with its own corporate logo, arguing it would be more inclusive.

But CGNI has since confirmed there will be no change after Communities Minister Gordon Lyons, who is in charge of sport, criticised the attempt to change the flag.

Frampton, who grew up in the mainly unionist Tiger's Bay area of north Belfast, represented Ireland as an amateur because the sport is administered on an all-island basis.

"I was very, very proud to represent Ireland," he told the BBC's Good Morning Ulster programme.

"And on my [clothing] there was a tricolour and when I won medals, the flag that I stood under was the tricolour.

"And the anthem that I stood for was the Soldier's Song as well - these were all things that I was proud about, as a kid from a unionist background."

The former world champion said he did not feel the tricolour represented him but he never thought about asking to change it because that "wouldn't make sense".

The tricolour is the official flag of the Republic of Ireland.

Frampton was also asked if the Ulster Banner should be considered differently to the tricolour in Ireland for national teams as it has no official status.

"The official flag of Northern Ireland is the Union Jack and that would be wrong to use that, I would say," he replied.

Unlike the Olympics, the four contingent parts of the UK compete separately at the Commonwealth Games, meaning none is represented by the Union Flag.

The Ulster Banner was the flag of the government of Northern Ireland from 1953 until that administration was abolished in 1973.

Since 2020, the CGNI has been asking Stormont's government for guidance on introducing a more inclusive symbol.

CGNI chief executive Conal Heatley explained the Ulster Banner "holds cultural significance for a large section of one side of community" but people on the other side "don't feel the same".

After the CGNI announcement, Communities Minister Gordon Lyons wrote to the organisation criticising plans to replace the flag.

CGNI then confirmed it would continue to use the Ulster Banner as its official symbol following the "clear and unequivocal guidance" from the minister.

First Minister Michelle O'Neill had publicly backed a change to the flag, describing it as "a fine way forward".

On Wednesday she expressed disappointment at the CGNI decision.

"Personally I think all sports should be inclusive, and I think this whole conversation was in that vein, I hope it continues," she said.

O'Neill said that while many athletes want to "get on with" their job, everybody has an obligation to try to create an environment that is both welcoming and inclusive".

Assembly member Justin McNulty, from the SDLP, said Lyons' position did not reflect views of the whole Stormont executive.

"It's clear that the flag, as is, is not completely representative and there should be a discussion around compromise," he said.

"And that compromise should have been reached a long time ago and is just another one of those items that our executive is just unwilling or unable to deal with."

McNulty, a former Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) player, described the Ulster Banner as "a polarising flag".

He acknowledged flags are a "sensitive issue" but insisted a "grown-up discussion" on the issue was necessary.

"We need to have a flag which represents all."

Frampton, a former world champion, is one of Northern Ireland's most successful sports stars.

He was first selected to fight for Ireland as a schoolboy, when he had to wear a green singlet vest with a shamrock symbol.

"I never took the thing off me, I wore it every night at training because I was so proud to do that," he recalled.

But now, he looks back with some regret about missing out on fighting under the Ulster Banner after turning professional.

"I never had the chance to represent Northern Ireland at the Commonwealth Games," he said.

"I did represent them at the Commonwealth Youth Games, but not as a senior boxer.

"It was always something that, I suppose, upset me a little bit.

"I'm proud to be from Northern Ireland and I did want to represent them and I would have been proud to fight under the Ulster Banner.

"But I don't think it's anything I ever thought about too much and I don't think the flag has really ever been too much of an issue before either."

Frampton said that if he was still competing he would agree to fight under a neutral flag.

However, he added he would be "a little bit disappointed" because the Ulster Banner is the flag he feels most represents him.

"First and foremost I see myself as a person from Northern Ireland. If you want to call me Irish, that's fine," he said.

"If you want to call me British, that's fine as well and in some ways I identify as all three - Northern Ireland, Irish and British."