IOC furious over Bush ads
2004-08-25 18:07
Erskine McCullough
Athens - Top International Olympic Committee officials are furious at what they see as US President George Bush's hijacking of the Olympic name for his re-election campaign.
IOC marketing head Gerhard Heiberg tried to play down the controversy on Wednesday, saying simply that they would like the ads running on American television to stop.
"We are following what is happening and hope the campaign will stop," said Heiberg.
"The United States Olympic Committee is dealing with the matter. We own the rights to the Olympic name and no one has asked our permission," he added.
But privately the IOC is seething.
The ads use words and images to invoke the Athens Games.
One says "This Olympics ... there will be two more free nations" in a clear reference to Afghanistan and Iraq.
The ads air on MSNBC, CNBC and other NBC cable networks during their Olympic programming.
Heiberg said that having seen the ad, "We would like to see it changed a little."
Other officials are less reticent.
"The arrogance of the US administration is quite amazing. To hijack the Olympics name ... it is difficult to put it into words," said one senior IOC member.
There was further anger here when there were suggestions that President Bush would come to the Olympics if Iraq had won their semi-final soccer match against Paraguay on Tuesday.
It was seen by many IOC members as another move by the US president to exploit the Olympics in his campaign against his Democratic rival John Kerry.
Heiberg admitted he was uncomfortable at the Olympic brand being used by politicians.
"This is not good. We do not want this to happen. We are politically neutral," said Heiberg.
On Tuesday the controversial British political party the UK Independence Party, hijacked the IOC rings when they unfurled a banner in London carrying the Paris 2012 logo carrying the rings and vowed their support for the French bid.
A spokesman for the party said that they were backing Paris because they did not want London taxpayers to pay for hosting the Games.
Paris, London, New York, Madrid and Moscow are all vying for the 2012 Games.
The decision will be taken at the IOC Session in Singapore next July.
The IOC has a special team of commercial investigators to stop anyone worldwide using the famous five rings - one of the most recognised symbols in the world.
Recently a chain store in Britain was stopped from selling polo shirts with the word Olympics on it.
- SAPA