Team Canada will have to find a new logo to display on its jersey for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics.
Chris Rudge, the CEO of the Canadian Olympic Committee, tells the Globe and Mail they will not be seeking an exemption to allow Canada's hockey teams to use the Maple Leaf logo which they have worn at the past three Winter Games.
The International Olympic Committee forbids national sport federations from using logos on team uniforms at the Olympics. Rudge tells the newspaper that the IOC warned countries as far back as two years ago that it would begin enforcing the rule.
The IOC strictly enforced its rules at the recent Beijing Games - notably with the Brazilian and Argentine soccer teams
"They made it clear after Torino that the national sport federation logos were out," Rudge tells the Globe. "We knew it would be an issue with sports of high profile, and it was an issue for Brazil and Argentina in Beijing."
Hockey Canada president Bob Nicholson was hoping that the COC would ask for an exemption but Rudge says it's out of their hands.
"(Bob) Nicholson's discontent is that we're not going the extra mile to go for an exemption for Hockey Canada," said Rudge. "But it's not our fight, it's the IOC's rule, and Hockey Canada knew this was coming."
"Hockey Canada may choose to proceed with its logo, but we can't account for what the IOC may do in that case. It's not our call."
Nicholson says he's disappointed with the COC's decision not to fight for the exemption.
"[The rule] has always been in the IOC charter and the COC, for the past three Winter Olympics, has signed a form supporting us wearing our logo," Nicholson tells the newspaper. "They refuse to fight this with us."
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