ABSTRACT
Since its first publication in 1908, the most notable amendment to the Olympic Charter is arguably the 1984 permission given to professional athletes (in tennis, ice hockey and soccer) to participate in the Games. Following the amendment, the IOC introduced the Olympic Partner (TOP) programme that attracts sponsors by guaranteeing them exclusive access to the Olympic brand for marketing and advertising purposes in 1985. These two developments have precipitated important changes within the Olympic Organization as well as the Charter itself. Particularly, Rule 40 has been introduced into the Olympic Charter in 1991 to prevent non-official Olympic sponsors from associating themselves with the Olympic brand, as well as the Games’ commercialization, without authorization. Some of the most recent modifications concerning Rule 40 have been the subject of some debate. This chapter presents the evolution of the Rule since the 2012 Games and discusses the implications of the 2019 revision.
