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Olympics Bill receives Royal Assent


Legislation that will prevent any business making reference to the 2012 Olympics in its promotions, unless it is an official sponsor, yesterday received Royal Assent and became an Act of Parliament.

Advert: Free OUT-LAW breakfast seminars, UK-wide: open source software; and data retentionPart of the London Olympic Games and Paralympic Games Act targets ambush marketing, which generally occurs when one brand pays to sponsor an event and a rival brand attempts to associate itself with the event without being an official sponsor.

The advertising restrictions are apparently required by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and follow on from restrictions used at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

In general terms, the Act restricts the use of the words “games”, “Two Thousand and Twelve”, “2012”, and “twenty twelve” in combination with each other or in combination with words including “gold,” “silver”, “bronze”, “London” and “summer”. These restrictions will last for six-and-a-half years.

Sebastian Coe, Chairman of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG), welcomed the passing of the new Act.

"The restrictions on unlawful advertising and ambush marketing are vital to LOCOG as sponsorship revenue is a key contributor to our £2 billion operating budget," said Coe.

"To achieve our operating budget, it is imperative that a clean advertising environment is created to give full assurances to LOCOG's and the IOC's official partners that their association with the Games is unique and will not be undermined,” he explained. “If unofficial organisations abuse the use of our logo, the Olympic rings and the uniqueness of the rights relating to the Games, the value of our sponsorship deals will be reduced. LOCOG would then have to look elsewhere to meet any operating shortfall."

The Act also creates the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA), the public sector body that will be responsible for building the venues and infrastructure for the 2012 Games, managing the Government's interest in the Olympic project, and protecting the public money going into it.

It grants the Mayor of London Olympic specific powers to enable the Greater London Authority to prepare for and stage the Games, and creates the role of Director of Olympic Transport, within the ODA, who will be in charge of co-ordinating the Olympic transport strategy.

"The Bill has become an Act of Parliament less than nine months after we were awarded the 2012 Games,” said Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell. “We have been getting on with the big task in hand and delivering what we promised to the International Olympic Committee and the people of Britain. That "can do" spirit will continue right through to the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.”

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