The Australian Olympic Committee is refusing to throw in the towel, waiting for an official request before removing a large Boxing Kangaroo flag at the athletes’ village in Vancouver.

With the 2010 Winter Olympics still seven days away, the Australian team is holding its ground after draping the  massive green and gold flag over a balcony three days ago.

The media director for the Australian Olympic Team, Mike Tancred, said an International Olympic Committee official had intially asked for the flag to be removed.

‘‘The flag is still up and we don’t intend to take it down until we get an official letter from the IOC telling us to do so,’’ Tancred said today.

‘‘We put it up about three days ago and the next morning the IOC told us to take it down.’’

The IOC is protesting about the use of the flag - first used by Australian athletes when Australia won the America’s Cup in 1983 - because it is a commerical product.

bullshit