Olympics and Rule 40: A Critical Examination

Abstract

The most awaited event in the world of sports has given rise to a controversy, following the recent amendment in the form of the much discussed, Rule 40, of the Olympic Charter. This move has been criticized due its various drawbacks. In the wake of the same, an attempt has been made to critically examine the situation, considering the aspects of commercial marketing, intellectual property attributes relating to the event, rights of athletes and most importantly the effective implementation of this rule. In the London Olympics, rule 40 had secured a mention due to the protests initiated by athletes, on various public platforms. In furtherance of a critical evaluation, controversies have been summarized and examined. In the effort to depict the failed attempts at bringing about a harmonious balance between rights of athletes and getaways available to the independent sponsors, possible impacts in various dimensions have been addressed. The recent advertisement campaign of Nike, which holds the potential of initiating proceedings against an Indian hockey player, Rani Rampal, has also been assessed. The article concludes with highlighting a crucial need for considering the controversies emerging because of Rule 40.