'Daily Express' in frontpage Olympics gaffe

The Daily Express has today printed a picture of the Dutch dressage team as part of its Team GB "22 Carat Gold" Olympics special frontpage, in the first major media cock-up of the Games.

The Mirror has also been caught out by printing the same picture in error as part of a centre spread.

Yesterday, Team GB's Charlotte Dujardin, Carl Hester and Laura Bechtolsheimer broke Germany's dominance in the dressage to win Britain's first Olympic medal of any colour in the sport since it first appeared at the event in the 1912 Games.

Other Gold medals won on the day by cyclists Sir Chris Hoy and Laura Trott, along with Alistair Brownlee in the triathlon meant that Britain smashed past its haul for the 2008 Beijing Games.



The Daily Express frontpage today celebrates Team GB's achievements, but BBC News social media editor Chris Hamilton spotted that this includes a picture of the Dutch dressage team rather than Britain's.

The error is clearly visible from the Orange lapels on the riders and the bronze medals around their necks.

"Media cock-up of the Games? Express puts Dutch dressage team on the front instead of @teamGB pic," tweeted Hamilton.

Unfortunately, The Mirror has also been caught out with the same error in an article in today's paper, listing the first names of the three Team GB riders in a centre spread, but under the same picture of the Dutch team.



The term "Daily Express" is currently trending on Twitter, including various messages of derision for the error.

One user posted: "Really feel for our Gold Medalists in Dressage; the @Daily_Express put the Dutch team on the front cover!!!!!"

Another added: "Not a good day in store for @Daily_Express picture desk with Dutch dressage team on P1 instead of @TeamGB #yourefired."

Discussing the error today on BBC Breakfast, Carl Hester said: "It's a shame that mistakes happen because we work extremely hard at our sport."