IOC rule out underwear checks

Published July 27, 2012

In June Bendtner was fined #80,000 by European football governing body UEFA after revealing underpants bearing the name of Irish bookmaker Paddy Power during the European Championships. -Photo by Reuters

LONDON: Danish footballer Nicklas Bendtner's ambush marketing stunt will not lead to a series of checks on athletes' underwear during London 2012, a senior International Olympic Committee member insisted.

In June Bendtner was fined #80,000 by European football governing body UEFA after revealing underpants bearing the name of Irish bookmaker Paddy Power during the European Championships.

Ambush marketing, where companies who haven't paid for the privilege of a sponsoring an event still try to gain free publicity on the back of a major sports tournament or match, is a problem senior IOC member Denis Oswald said Olympic officials were determined to combat.

“It won't be practical to make checks before the players take the field,” Oswald said Friday ahead of the opening ceremony.

“However, the football player who revealed his underwear in the European Championship was penalised afterwards. That will be the same in the Olympics.”

Opinion

Editorial

Sustainable path?
Updated 13 Jun, 2026

Sustainable path?

The FY27 budget is the first clear signal that the government is ready to transition from stabilisation to growth.
Prioritising education
13 Jun, 2026

Prioritising education

THOUGH the improvement in the country’s literacy rate may be slight, as highlighted by the Economic Survey, it ...
Poverty’s rise
13 Jun, 2026

Poverty’s rise

AS attention turns to the government’s plans for the coming fiscal year, one set of figures deserves particular...
A difficult story
Updated 12 Jun, 2026

A difficult story

Unless productivity becomes the dominant target of economic policy, Pakistan will continue to oscillate between crises and fragile recovery.
Rough waters
12 Jun, 2026

Rough waters

AMONGST the key potential triggers for fresh conflict in South Asia is water. The Indian state is behaving in an...
Politicised football
12 Jun, 2026

Politicised football

ALMOST three-and-half years since Lionel Messi led Argentina to FIFA World Cup glory, the latest edition of...