Nike, Puma, Reebok and other sporting goods manufacturers have sent a letter to International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge in an attempt to prevent Adidas-Salomon AG from using its three-stripe design on uniforms at the Turin 2006 Winter Olympic Games.
The manufacturers say that Adidas should no longer enjoy an exception to the rule limiting logo space to square centimetres of athletic uniforms, the German-based Handelsblatt reports.
Adidas is allowed to place the three stripes along uniforms because they are considered design elements and not an actual brand logo such as Nike’s “swoosh”, reports the newspaper. But rival manufacturers object to this exception because they say it allows Adidas greater prominence as an Olympic sponsor.
Adidas said it was surprised by the allegations, saying that sponsored Olympians have worn the three-stripe design for 40 years.
