The final carrying of the Flag will be some sort of "compromise". They will still carry it, but only after some other ceremony, or something like that. Can you believe that this was EVER an issue? Cripes, it's an American Flag. The olympics are in America. We wouldn't be over-extending the bounds of good sportmanship nor rubbing anybodies face in it. We simply intended to show Pride and Respect. Yet it became a Left Wing, "try not to offend anybody unless they're American" Liberal issue. The IOC and anybody who cares more about "what others think" need to look deep inside. They are obviously feeling guilty about something. Of course, in the case of the IOC, they probably feel guilty about the money they stole...