Spain's sports minister ordered the country's Davis Cup team not to start their final against Australia earlier today until an apology had been issued after the wrong anthem was played at the opening ceremony.
Juan Antonio Gomez Angulo, who was watching from the stands, left the stadium in protest when an old republican anthem was played by a lone trumpeter. He returned after an Australian apology and the tennis began.
"This reparation was done but the Spanish delegation is not totally satisfied and we have indicated to the International Tennis Federation (ITF) that prior to the commencement of the doubles match [on Saturday] the correct anthem be played," he told a news conference.
"Furthermore, I will be asking the Spanish ambassador to approach the Australian government to inquire as to how this intolerable offence could happen at the opening ceremony of an event as important as the Davis Cup.
"We are demanding a formal apology through the Spanish embassy in Australia and an explanation by the Australian government so that at a sports level the root of the problem can be corrected for this offence to the Spanish nation."
The anthem played was penned in the early 19th century by liberals opposed to the absolutist monarchy of the time.
It was used by republicans during various periods of Spanish history and became the official anthem in 1822 for a short time.
Later it became the anthem of the Second Republic, the regime prior to the Spanish Civil War of the 1930s, but was replaced by the victorious General Franco.
On the court, the day ended with the tie level at 1-1 but Angulo said they players had been upset over the anthem blunder. The error had occurred because a CD of national anthems supplied to the performer was incorrect.