The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) has released an updated Rule 40 and Paralympic athlete marketing guidance ahead of Tokyo 2020, giving competitors greater freedom when promoting personal sponsors during the Games.
Rule 40 had limited athletes from working with their own sponsors for the duration of the two weeks of the summer and winter Games in order to ensure exclusivity of the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) TOP commercial partners. However, athletes had complained that it prevented them from making money during arguably the pinnacle of their careers.
Rule 40 was then amended by the IOC in June, after a ruling by the German Cartel Office in February deemed that its restrictions were too far-reaching, thus enabling German athletes to clear their personal marketing activities with the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) ahead of next year’s Games.
The amendment to Rule 40 – specifically bylaw 40.3 – was as follows: ‘Competitors, team officials and other team personnel who participate in the Olympic Games may allow their person, name, picture or sports performances to be used for advertising purposes during the Olympic Games in accordance with the principles determined by the IOC Executive Board.’
Now the USOPC, which as a national Olympic body is responsible for implementing the rule, has updated its Rule 40 and Paralympic athlete marketing guidance to allow athletes to thank and receive congratulatory messages from personal sponsors during the Games. Athletes’ commercial partners can also now engage in generic advertising during the Games.
Official partners will continue to have exclusivity around Team USA, while also receiving ambush protection through the introduction of a personal sponsor commitment.
In addition, all existing partner benefits related to timing and support of USOPC partner staff continue.
The update follows a collaborative process that invited feedback and discussion from the IOC, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), the Athletes’ Advisory Council (AAC) and the National Governing Bodies Council (NGBC), as well as international and domestic marketing partners.
Sarah Hirshland, USOPSC chief executive, said: “We worked to create a guidance that increases athlete marketing opportunities and, importantly, respects Rule 40 and affirms our commitment to providing value to our partners, and maintains funding and participation pathways for Team USA, and athletes around the world.”
Han Xiao, chair of the USOPC’s AAC, added: “This updated Rule 40 guidance for Tokyo 2020 represents a really positive step for athlete marketing rights and is the result of a positive collaboration between the AAC, NGBC and the USOPC.
“This guidance enables athlete opportunities in an entirely new way and is a sign of great progress as we continue to work closely with the USOPC.”
The IPC athlete marketing guidance is expected to be released before the end of 2019. Any necessary adjustments to the USOPC domestic guidance will then be made.
The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) has released an updated Rule 40 and Paralympic athlete marketing guidance ahead of Tokyo 2020, giving competitors greater freedom when promoting personal sponsors during the Games.
Rule 40 had limited athletes from working with their own sponsors for the duration of the two weeks of the summer and winter Games in order to ensure exclusivity of the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) TOP commercial partners. However, athletes had complained that it prevented them from making money during arguably the pinnacle of their careers.
Rule 40 was then amended by the IOC in June, after a ruling by the German Cartel Office in February deemed that its restrictions were too far-reaching, thus enabling German athletes to clear their personal marketing activities with the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) ahead of next year’s Games.
The amendment to Rule 40 – specifically bylaw 40.3 – was as follows: ‘Competitors, team officials and other team personnel who participate in the Olympic Games may allow their person, name, picture or sports performances to be used for advertising purposes during the Olympic Games in accordance with the principles determined by the IOC Executive Board.’
Now the USOPC, which as a national Olympic body is responsible for implementing the rule, has updated its Rule 40 and Paralympic athlete marketing guidance to allow athletes to thank and receive congratulatory messages from personal sponsors during the Games. Athletes’ commercial partners can also now engage in generic advertising during the Games.
Official partners will continue to have exclusivity around Team USA, while also receiving ambush protection through the introduction of a personal sponsor commitment.
In addition, all existing partner benefits related to timing and support of USOPC partner staff continue.
The update follows a collaborative process that invited feedback and discussion from the IOC, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), the Athletes’ Advisory Council (AAC) and the National Governing Bodies Council (NGBC), as well as international and domestic marketing partners.
Sarah Hirshland, USOPSC chief executive, said: “We worked to create a guidance that increases athlete marketing opportunities and, importantly, respects Rule 40 and affirms our commitment to providing value to our partners, and maintains funding and participation pathways for Team USA, and athletes around the world.”
Han Xiao, chair of the USOPC’s AAC, added: “This updated Rule 40 guidance for Tokyo 2020 represents a really positive step for athlete marketing rights and is the result of a positive collaboration between the AAC, NGBC and the USOPC.
“This guidance enables athlete opportunities in an entirely new way and is a sign of great progress as we continue to work closely with the USOPC.”
The IPC athlete marketing guidance is expected to be released before the end of 2019. Any necessary adjustments to the USOPC domestic guidance will then be made.
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