I am not an Olympic athlete with our national flag on my back. I found a way to erase the national flag next to my username at LIngQ.
I kind of do not really like it either.
But I think it’s useful to get a quick glance at where people are from.
Or where they physically are.
I’m not Japanese, for example.
The program is not smart enough to be able to equate “J A P A N” with Japan.
I think it’s a great thing to look out conversation people from other countries. So I can see a relation or a view of different people to specific post topic. I’m always interested to know where this people live.
I don’t understand, Tora-san. You don’t mind people knowing you are from Japan, but don’t want the flag next to your name?
Maybe he prefers a different design.
I might have understood Tora-san, but may be I am only guessing. Anyway, it is his right. He has hinted at not being an athlete.
I would not put a country flag on my T-shirt either. (Though I may put on the garments with flags or the like symbols if they are given as gifts, I shun from buying such things for myself and for the others).
I personally do not like feeling proud by the fact of of belonging. And if I, nevertheless, do feel proud sometimes, I’d be shy to demonstrate it, and I opt to treat it on the personal level. But maybe it is just me, or my origin from the former USSR. I observed too much of devalvation, and the manipulation with the feelings of " being proud to belong to", accompanied with flags, athems, bages etc.
By the way, a “Proud Canadian” is a catchy phrase here, nearly a slogan. I have yet to come up it 
I resently attended a meeting with candidates to a city counsel from the local area. The program of one of them could be reduced to that he was proud. Proud to be at the meeting, proud to serve, proud of what have been done in the district, etc. That was all he had said.
It seems I’ve given to much of seriusness to Tora’s and dooo’s innocent remark. Please consider it no more than a bit of English Practice during the lunch break.