III 

112TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 487 

Expressing the sense of the Senate that ambush marketing adversely affects 

Team USA and the Olympic and Paralympic Movements and should 

not be condoned. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JUNE 7, 2012 

Mr. BEGICH (for himself, Mr. BENNET, Mr. BOOZMAN, and Mr. ISAKSON) 

submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 

on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of the Senate that ambush marketing 

adversely affects Team USA and the Olympic and 

Paralympic Movements and should not be condoned. 

Whereas the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games 

will occur on July 27 through August 12 and August 29 

through September 9, respectively; 

Whereas more than 10,500 athletes from 204 nations will 

compete in 26 Olympic sports, while 4,200 Paralympic 

athletes will compete in 20 sports; 

Whereas Team USA athletes have spent countless days, 

months, and years training in hopes of earning a spot on 

the United States Olympic or Paralympic teams; 


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2 

•SRES 487 IS 

Whereas the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act 

(36 U.S.C. 220501 et seq.)— 

(1) made the United States Olympic Committee the 

coordinating body for all Olympic-related and 

Paralympic-related athletic activity in the United States; 

and 

(2) gave the United States Olympic Committee the 

exclusive right in the United States to name, seals, emblems, and badges; 

Whereas Congress also authorized the Committee to allow 

companies to use any trademark, symbol, insignia, or emblem of the International Olympic Committee, International Paralympic Committee, the Pan American 

Sports Organization, or the United States Olympic Committee in furtherance of the United States Olympic efforts; 

Whereas Team USA is significantly funded by 35 sponsors 

who assure that the United States has the best team 

competing for the Nation; 

Whereas, in recent years, a number of entities have engaged 

in ambush marketing as a marketing strategy, affiliating 

themselves with the Olympic and Paralympic Games 

without becoming sponsors of Team USA; 

Whereas ambush marketing harms the Olympic and 

Paralympic Movements, undermines sponsorship activities, and allows competing companies an unfair and unethical advantage over companies who are officially sponsoring Team USA and providing funding for the elite 

athletes of the United States; and 


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3 

•SRES 487 IS 

Whereas efforts to prevent ambush marketing have enjoyed 

limited success as the strategies ambush marketers use 

continue to multiply: Now, therefore, be it 

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

2 (1) ambush marketing should not be condoned, 

3 especially those marketing efforts that adversely af4 fect the ability of Team USA to attract and retain 

5 the necessary sponsorships to be successful at the 

6 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games in London, 

7 England; and 

8 (2) corporations in the United States should be 

9 encouraged to cease all ambush marketing efforts, 

10 particularly related to the Olympic and Paralympic 

11 Movements. 

Æ 


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