Bradmington: Franco-era Anthem Played for Spanish Champion

Organizers of the badminton world championships in Indonesia apologized Sunday for playing a Franco-era anthem for Spain's Carolina Marin after she defended her women's single title, saying it was an "unfortunate mistake".

The 22-year-old smiled as organizers played the old version of the Spanish anthem that includes lyrics by poet Jose Maria Peman during the podium ceremony in Jakarta, images broadcast on Spanish TV showed.

"An older version of the anthem was played during the Women's Singles medal ceremony following Marin's retention of the title which she won a year ago," the Badminton World Federation said in a statement.

"The Badminton World Federation and the hosts, the Indonesia Badminton Association, sincerely regret this unfortunate mistake."

During Franco's 1939-75 regime schoolchildren learned a version of the anthem with lyrics by Peman but the words were never officially approved and they quickly fell out of favor once the dictator died.

Spain's national anthem, the "Royal March", has been played without words since 1978, three years after Franco's death.

The use of the wrong anthem, which includes the lyrics "Long live Spain! Raise your arms, sons of Spain, who will once again arise", was quickly picked up on social media and by Spanish media.

The online edition of daily newspaper El Mundo called it a "serious mistake on the part of tournament organizers".

It is not the first time that the old anthem has been played during a podium ceremony for a Spanish athlete.

When Spanish cyclist Alberto Contador won the Giro d'Italia in 2011, organizers accidentally played the Franco-era version of the anthem during post-race celebrations.

Two years earlier French officials accidentally played the Danish national anthem after Contador's victory at the 2009 Tour de France.

The Davis Cup final between Spain and Australia in 2003 was marred after the wrong Spanish anthem was played at the opening ceremony.

In that case organizers accidentally played a republican anthem from before Spain's 1936-39 Civil War which ushered in the Franco regime.

The Spanish government protested to Canberra and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Tennis Australia immediately issued an apology.

Marin, 22, won the singles title with a two-game victory over Indian second seed Saina Nehwal.

The world number one burst into tears and collapsed on the court as Nehwal's final shot sailed out, delivering Marin her second successive gold medal.