There were many opinions against the design of the Swedish flag, various controversies and parodies on social networks, comparing it to pyjamas, a shower curtain or a barcode.

He then registered his design for international protection with the WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organisation).

One of the reasons for the lack of support for the French proposal was that the World Federation of the Deaf would not have exclusive rights to the flag.

[13][14] At the 2015 General Assembly, following the vote (where the votes in favour did not exceed an absolute majority), the World Federation of the Deaf established a "Deaf Flag Committee" consisting of five ordinary members: France, Iran, Nepal, the Russian Federation, and Sweden.

The flag proposals received from three ordinary members of the World Federation of the Deaf were then presented, discussed and voted on: Lebanon, Russia, and France.

The proposal by the Lebanese Federation of the Deaf (الاتحاد اللبناني للصم, LFD) consists of two hands, a blue hand on a white hand (representing different cultures and symbolising Sign language and the Deaf signing community), two white brackets, one on each side (symbolising a circle around the Deaf community, which is interconnected and a small world), and a blue background.

The proposal of the Russian Society of the Deaf (Всероссийское общество глухих, ВОГ) consisted of two palms open from the centre, one turquoise and the other blue (symbolising Sign language), both surrounded by a golden outline.

Nepal also submitted a flag proposal, but it was rejected as it failed to meet the submission deadlines.