III 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 490 

Expressing the sense of the Senate that ambush marketing adversely affects 

the United States Olympic and Paralympic teams. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JUNE 10, 2016 

Mr. THUNE (for himself, Mr. GARDNER, Mr. BENNET, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, Mr. 

HATCH, and Mr. SULLIVAN) submitted the following resolution; which 

was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of the Senate that ambush marketing 

adversely affects the United States Olympic and 

Paralympic teams. 

Whereas the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games will occur 

on August 5, 2016, through August 21, 2016, and September 7, 2016, through September 18, 2016, respectively, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; 

Whereas more than 10,500 athletes from 206 nations will 

compete in 28 Olympic sports and 4,350 Paralympic athletes from 176 nations will compete in 23 Paralympic 

sports; 

Whereas American athletes have spent countless days, 

months, and years training to earn a spot on the United 

States Olympic or Paralympic teams; 


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•SRES 490 ATS 

Whereas the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act 

(36 U.S.C. 220501 et seq.)— 

(1) established the United States Olympic Committee as the coordinating body for all Olympic and 

Paralympic athletic activity in the United States; 

(2) gave the United States Olympic Committee the 

exclusive right in the United States to use the words 

‘‘Olympic’’, ‘‘Olympiad’’, ‘‘Paralympic’’, and 

‘‘Paralympiad’’, the emblem of the United States Olympic Committee, and the symbols of the International 

Olympic Committee and the International Paralympic 

Committee; and 

(3) empowered the United States Olympic Committee to authorize sponsors that contribute to the 

United States Olympic or Paralympic teams to use any 

trademark, symbol, insignia, or emblem of the International Olympic Committee, the International 

Paralympic Committee, the Pan-American Sports Organization, or the United States Olympic Committee; 

Whereas Team USA is significantly funded by 36 sponsors 

who ensure that the United States has the best Olympic 

and Paralympic teams possible; 

Whereas in recent years, a number of entities in the United 

States have engaged in marketing strategies that appear 

to affiliate themselves with the Olympic and Paralympic 

Games without becoming official sponsors of Team USA; 

Whereas any ambush marketing in violation of the Lanham 

Act (15 U.S.C. 1051 et seq.) undermines sponsorship activities and creates consumer confusion around official 

Olympic and Paralympic sponsors; and 

Whereas ambush marketing impedes the goals of the Ted 

Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act (36 U.S.C. 


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•SRES 490 ATS 

220501 et seq.) to fund the United States Olympic and 

Paralympic teams through official sponsorships: Now, 

therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that— 

2 (1) official sponsor support is critical to the 

3 success of Team USA at all international competi4 tions; and 

5 (2) ambush marketing adversely affects the 

6 United States Olympic and Paralympic teams and 

7 their ability to attract and retain corporate sponsor8 ships. 

Æ 


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