played. This was before its expulsion from the International Olympic Committee, four days before the opening of the 1972 Summer Olympics. In 1979, the country became known as Zimbabwe-Rhodesia and a new flag was adopted on 4 September that year featuring the pan-African colours of red, black, yellow and green, and the Zimbabwe Bird. However, under the terms of the Lancaster House Agreement, the country briefly returned to British rule under the Union Jack from 12 December 1979 although the Zimbabwe Rhodesia flag remained de facto in use. Thus it was the British Union Flag that was lowered during the ceremony on 17/18 April 1980 marking the country's attainment of independence as the Republic of Zimbabwe when the new flag of Zimbabwe was adopted. Official description The following was published as a supplement to the Government Gazette issued on Friday 9 August 1968. 1968 Flag of Rhodesia No. 40 / p. 285 Rhodesia Act To provide for the adoption of a national flag for Rhodesia; to provide for the making of regulations to restrict or control the application to any goods of a reproduction of such flag; to amend section 16 of the Merchandise Marks Act, 1957, and to provide for matters incidental to the foregoing. BE IT ENACTED by His Excellency the Officer Administering Government as representative of the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Parliament of Rhodesia, as follows: - 1. This Act may be cited as the Flag of Rhodesia Act, 1968. 2. The Flag of Rhodesia shall be a flag consisting of three vertical stripes of equal width, green, white and green, on which there appears in the centre of the white stripe the coat of arms of Rhodesia, with - (a) the length of the flag equal to twice the width of the flag; and (b) the coat of arms of Rhodesia equal in height to three-fifths of the heights of the flag. 3. The Minister of Justice shall cause a copy of the Flag of Rhodesia to be prepared and deposited in the National Archives of Rhodesia established in terms of the National Archives Act, 1963 (No. 76 of 1963). 4. (1) Where, in the opinion of the Officer Administering the Government, it is necessary to regulate and control the use of the Flag of Rhodesia in order that it is not used for purposes which, in