Branding ban means no Linford Christie style contact lenses

November 4, 2011 at 16:52PM

The announcement that the man who has made millions from being the face of many brands, David Beckham, wants to be part of the British Olympic football team brings the Olympic branding ban into focus.

Back in 1996 there was nothing to stop sprinter Linford Christie from wearing funky, crazy contact lenses with a puma on them to promote the sports brand at the Olympic Games.

Now any athlete who uses the London 2012 Games in order to promote a sponsor or brand could be fined up to £20,000 as an amendment to the London Olympic Games and Paralympic Games Act 2006 is being discussed by parliament.

If it goes through it is designed to stop ambush marketing on the bodies of participants which undermines the huge fees official sponsors pay to have their branding appear across the event.

It was announced in October that Mr Beckham's income from endorsement deals now stands at $23.9 million, an increase of 30 per cent since he signed with Galaxy.
 

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