The incident occurred during the ski mountaineering sprint event, where Ot Ferrer from Berga secured a fifth-place finish. Security staff acted under International Olympic Committee (IOC) guidelines to remove symbols from the stands, despite protests from supporters of athletes Oriol Cardona and Maria Costa.
“"No kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda shall be permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas."
While the ban on independence flags is common, the seizure of the official Senyera caused surprise, as it was a recognized symbol during Barcelona 92. Similar actions were reported regarding the Greenland flag during an ice hockey match.
