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Australia's neighbours left fuming after entire country ignored at Olympics closing ceremony

The Olympics wrapped up with a spectacular closing ceremony - but New Zealanders were left unimpressed.

sam goodwin
Sports Editor
·4-min read

It wouldn't be an Olympics or international event without New Zealand being left off a world map, but many Kiwis reckon that's what happened at the closing ceremony on Sunday night. Viewers watching from New Zealand were left fuming after coming to the realisation that the oddly-shaped stage inside State de France was supposed to resemble a world map.

All the major continents that are represented at the Olympics featured on the 'map', but many noticed New Zealand was left off. The bottom right-hand corner of the map was meant to represent Oceania, but Kiwis weren't impressed they were lumped in with Australia and parts of Asia.

Athletes at the Olympics closing ceremony.
New Zealanders reckon they were left off the map that was represented by the stage at the closing ceremony of the Paris Olympics (R), while Matt Wearn and Kaylee McKeown carried the Australian flag (L). Image: Getty/AAP

New Zealand have a long history of being left off world maps, and it's clearly still a sore point for Kiwis. One person wrote on social media: “The French leave New Zealand off their ‘world’ map, will they never stop insulting us?”

The stage, pictured here for the closing ceremony of the Paris Olympics.
The stage for the closing ceremony represented a world map. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Another person called for 'justice for island nations', writing: “This artsy map of the world at the closing ceremony doesn’t appear to have New Zealand (or indeed Madagascar)." While someone else joked that New Zealand was actually on the map by way of a “conveniently located speaker/camera block thingy” below Australia.

Kiwis are so sick of being left off world maps that they even dedicated a whole tourism campaign around it in 2018. The initiative starred comedian Rhys Darby and then-Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, featuring the hashtag “Get NZ on the Map”.

The ad revolved around an investigation into why the country disappears from maps around the world at times. Darby uncovers possible motives for rival countries to keep New Zealand hidden in a clever way to spruik the country’s highlights.

“They’re stealing our tourists,” he says of Australia before accusing France of trying to cover up New Zealand’s renowned wine industry. He then points out how England left New Zealand out of their Rugby World Cup promotion in 2014. “You missed it off by accident?” he asks. “Are you sure? Or is England trying to get rid of the All Blacks once and for all?”

The Paris Olympics closing ceremony.
The Paris Olympics were closed in spectacular fashion. (Photo by DIMITAR DILKOFF/AFP via Getty Images)

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New Zealand enjoyed their best Olympics ever in Paris, winning a record 10 gold medals to finish 11th on the table. The Kiwis walked into Stade de France behind flag-bearers Lisa Carrington and Finn Butcher (both canoeists).

Carrington is the country’s greatest Olympian and added to her legacy with three more gold medals in Paris, which took her career haul to eight gold and one bronze. “It’s really special to be a part of the ceremony and represent New Zealand,” she said. “The New Zealand Team has gone so well this Olympics, I’m super stoked for all our athletes and looking forward to celebrating with everyone tonight.”

Butcher won the first-ever men’s kayak cross event in his Olympics debut. “To be an Olympic champion and now carry the flag for New Zealand is beyond what I could have ever imagined,” he said. “I’m so proud to lead our amazing New Zealand Olympic team out into the closing ceremony and celebrate not only the Games but the years of work from everyone to get here and perform. I’m so proud to be a Kiwi.”

Swimmer Kaylee McKeown and sailor Matt Wearn were handed the honour of carrying the Australian flag. Many questioned why Emma McKeon was overlooked again, but the swimming champion was honoured as one of five athletes chosen to represent the five regions on stage during the ceremony.