Fans who bare all for publicity at the London Olympic Games in 2012 could face a large fine and even a jail sentence under strict rules being discussed in parliament.

The severe sanctions proposed by the Department for Culture, doctor Media and Sport are part of a clampdown on the choreographed marketing stunts that have become a feature of high-profile sporting events in recent years.

Under the rules, tadalafil “advertising on the human body could lead to a fine of £20,000 ($31,700),” a ministry spokesman said.

“It is about potential ambush marketing and trying to crack down on that. Sponsors pay a large amount of money to be the official sponsors of the Games.”

Companies including British Airways and BP are among sponsors who have paid £700 million ($1.1 billion ) to become official partners of the 2012 Games.

However, the insides of all Olympic venues must be clean of any advertising.

“These advertising and street trading regulations protect their investment and association with the Games,” the spokesman said.

The rules have passed through the House of Commons and are waiting to be approved by the unelected upper House of Lords. If passed, trading standards officers will be responsible for ensuring the rules are upheld.

At the Beijing Games in 2008, a male spectator interrupted an equestrian event dressed only in a tutu with the name of a website emblazoned across his bare chest.

In the World Cup in 2010, 36 orange-clad Dutch woman were ejected from a stadium when it was discovered that they were part of a guerilla marketing effort coordinated by a Dutch brewery.

Virgin team boss John Booth has hit back at suggestions from F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone that only Lotus deserves to remain on the grid from this season’s new teams.

Ecclestone said earlier in the week that F1 needs ‘to get rid of a few of those cripples’, referring to some of the new teams and that Richard Branson should put some money into his team.

“I cannot understand his motives for saying that,” Booth told the Yorkshire Post. “Is it to embarrass Sir Richard Branson, one of the country’s leading entrepreneurs?

“He’s said so many things over the course of the year that it no longer has any affect on us.”

With speculation surrounding Virgin’s driver line-up for 2011, Booth added that the second seat alongside Timo Glock is still very much up for grabs.

“We’re evaluating options at the minute. Only one driver is set in stone and that’s Timo [Glock]. He’s contracted to us and absolutely he is staying.

“We are still looking at Lucas [di Grassi] but it will be a couple of months before a decision is made. We have four or five options at the moment and it’s a case of who is the best to take us forward.”

A-League team Sydney Football Club have announced Han Berger has joined the board as a director.

Sydney Football Club Scott Barlow said: “Han and I have developed a very good relationship over the last few years and I am delighted that he will now join our board,” said Mr Barlow.

“Han brings decades of global football coaching, technical and management experience that is without parallel in Australia.

“As Sydney FC enters a new phase of strategic growth, we will be harnessing all of that experience to help grow the club and we will welcome his contribution to the board,” said Mr Barlow.

Mr Berger said he will be passionate about helping Sydney FC grow in his new role as a director.

“From my time here in Australia, I understand the huge potential that club football has in front of it,” said Mr Berger.

“I will be very keen to help grow youth development and technical strategies at Sydney FC, especially given my passion for bringing players from the grassroots into the professional game.

“I am privileged to join the board of Sydney FC and look forward to working closely with Scott and the other directors in the best interests of the club,” Mr Berger said.

Mr Berger will join Sydney FC’s board in August following the conclusion of his role at Football Federation Australia after the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Mr Berger will join existing board members Mr Scott Barlow (Chairman), Mr Mark Arbib, Mr Michael Crismale, Mr Jamie Samaha and Mr Peter Paradise (Advisor).

The Organising Committee for the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games and Sebrae (Brazilian Micro and Small Enterprises Support Service) signed an agreement on the technical cooperation for the development of micro and small enterprises all over Brazil.

The “Sebrae on the podium” project is aimed at qualifying potential Rio 2016 suppliers to meet the event’s demands while contributing to boosting Brazilian supply chains in a sustainable way.

A unique growth opportunity for companies of all sizes, sale the Rio 2016 Games require a vast range of products and services, from various domains, creating business opportunities before, during and after the event. In order to help Brazilian enterprises qualify and achieve new levels of competitiveness, while maximising the Committee’s contract possibilities in the market, Rio 2016 structured a series of actions, such as the partnership with Sebrae, which will be developed over the coming years.

“We are committed to helping Brazilian enterprises on their path to meet the high standards of the Olympic and Paralympic demands. Technical excellence and transparency, together with concern for sustainability in all the stages of our project, are the basic principles that guide our planning for the procurement of goods and services. The partnership with Sebrae is fundamental in order to ensure we all follow the same path”, said Sidney Levy, Rio 2016 Chief Executive Officer.

Sebrae will work with potential suppliers to develop micro and small businesses to supply goods and services directly to the Organising Committee or to companies appointed by Rio 2016 for major contracts. The latter will be done via rounds of meetings between Sebrae, the Organising Committee, the leading contractor and potential subcontractors.

The initial categories will be printing services, laundry, uniforms and housing modules, among others that will be prioritised according to the Rio 2016purchases schedule and sustainability requirements.

“The technical cooperation agreement between Rio 2016 and Sebrae will be an important tool to leverage micro and small enterprises all over Brazil in order to meet the high-standard sustainability criteria and to actively participate in the Olympic and Paralympic Games supply chain”, says Fernando Cotrim, Rio 2016 Procurement Director. “We believe the Games are an excellent opportunity to boost less developed markets in Brazil. This way, through the partnership, we intend to encourage entrepreneurship, which we see as an important growth lever for the country”.

“Through ‘Sebrae on the podium’, micro and small enterprises all over Brazil will have the opportunity of becoming potential products and goods suppliers for Rio 2016. Sebrae sees the partnership as the beginning of a legacy to encourage MSEs’ competitiveness, which will be left by the Olympic and Paralympic Games”, said Francisco Marins, “Sebrae on the podium” project coordinator.

By Ismail Uddin

Joel Bouzou, prostate the newly appointed Vice President of the International Union of Modern Pentathlon (UIPM) is looking to drive the organisation to gain further success following his appointment.

Frenchman Bouzou was elected as Vice President after stepping down as the UIPM Secretary General, therapy a position that he has held for the past 15 years. Through his appointment he is looking for the sport to bring societies together.

“Through my Presidency at Peace & Sport, patient we can use UIPM’s sports of Biathle (swim & run) which I created in 1999 & Triathle (swim, run & shoot) to bring society’s together through sport like we have done in Congo and Burundi and we look forward to doing this in other countries.  I want to show that Modern Pentathlon is a family that gives back to society though giving under privileged people access to sport,” he told iSportconnect.

Bouzou also talked more extensively about his appointment.

“Becoming Vice President was the logical follow up from the 15 years as Secretary General and the 45 years of Pentathlon that I have behind me, even if I am still young. Starting as an athlete in 1968 as a cadet and then as a national coach, national director, UIPM Media director and then Secretary General,” he added. 

“Modern Pentathlon is in my blood and it will remain in my blood. This sport demonstrates the complete athlete and deserves a place forever in the Olympic programme.  Being Vice President will allow me to serve my sport on a political level, without having to perform the administrative duties of a Secretary General, which will allow me to continue developing Peace & Sport and the World Olympians Association which I am the President of, as well as performing my duties as Advisor to his Serene highness H.SH Prince Albert II of Monaco.”

“I look forward to working in the team in a position which will be in accordance with my skills for the best for UIPM. I have a great network which I will be able to use for the benefit of the sport.”

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has appointed Beyond Sport to support the IOC Sport for All Commission throughout the build-up to the 15th IOC World Conference on Sport for All, sale to be held in Lima, doctor Peru in April 2013.

The IOC Sport for All Commission was established in 1983 with the primary aim of encouraging and supporting efforts to disseminate the health and social benefits of sport. 

Beyond Sport will be supporting in the development of the event delivery and will use its extensive network and knowledge of programmes from around the world to assist the Commission in selecting the recipients of the Sport for All Grants. The two bodies have already worked together ahead of the first such awarding of grants, announced at the 14th IOC World Conference on Sport for All in Beijing, China in 2011.

Sam Ramsamy, the Chairman of the IOC Sport for All Commission, commented: “Sport for All is at the heart of the Olympic Movement and closely linked to development through sport. It really touches society at large. The expertise of Beyond Sport in this area increases the impact of the conference and future initiatives.”

Beyond Sport is uniquely positioned to be able to provide such a service to the IOC. The organisation is the central point for a network which now reaches 135 countries across the globe, and has conducted extensive due diligence on dozens of programmes using sport as a tool to tackle social issues including health, unemployment, conflict resolution, gang-related violence and education.

Nick Keller, the Founder of Beyond Sport, commented: “Beyond Sport’s values and objectives have, since our foundation, been similar to the values and objectives of the International Olympic Committee and the Olympic Movement as a whole. Sport can and does play a transformative role in communities around the world. The IOC occupies a unique place both within and beyond sport, and the potential impact of Sport for All’s mission is unprecedented in this field.”

China has done “very well” in the fight against doping and should share its experience and expertise with other parts of Asia according to a senior official of the World Anti-doping Agency (WADA).

“I’m happy with the progress shown by China Anti-doping Agency (CHINADA),” David Howman, director general of WADA, said.

CHINADA was established as an independent national anti-doping body in 2007 with a world-class laboratory.

Howman also commended China’s education program for elite athletes, but believes China still faces some challenges. “There’s always room for improvement, of course. As a big country that has so many athletes, China needs to develop its own model, which is difficult,” he said.

Howman believes that developing a Chinese model could entail sharing knowledge and expertise of anti-doping strategy with other countries in Asia. “It’s important for strong countries to do that,” he said.

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West Ham United have quashed reports of a ground-share with Leyton Orient.

Leyton Orient chairman Barry Hearn has been a fierce critic of West Ham’s bid to become stadium tenants after the Olympics but said recently he would consider a ground-share arrangement for his League One club.

The Hammers insist there have been no talks about such a possibility – nor will there be.

A West Ham statement said: “West Ham United has not held talks with Leyton Orient in respect of ground sharing and nor is it our intention to do so.

“We do not wish to comment on recent statements made by Barry Hearn not least because we can’t keep up with his ever-changing position. They continue, however, to provide us with a constant source of amusement.”

The Hammers said the demand from fans for tickets for the recent Championship play-off final at Wembley showed the Olympic Stadium will not be too big for their supporter base.

The statement added: ‘We are the only football option able to fill the stadium to capacity on a regular basis.

“Our recent Wembley play-off final win, which secured our promotion back to the Premier League, saw a level of demand from our supporters that could have sold out Wembley Stadium to West Ham fans alone.

“The noise and atmosphere created by our fans on May 19 gave a mouthwatering taste of what the Olympic Stadium could offer to supporters week in, week out.

‘We also bring the opportunity for the regeneration of the Olympic Park – people, prosperity, opportunity, exposure, economy and expertise from our very first match in 2014. This provides far wider benefits for the local community and the nation as a whole.”

In a recent study carried out by Marketing Week has showed that consumer awareness of brands involvement in London 2012 is fairly poor with MasterCard, Nike and Sony all considered official sponsors when they are not.

In a specially commissioned survey of 1,000 consumers run by Lightspeed Research last month, the big-name brands that people wrongly think are sponsors include MasterCard, Nike, Sony, HSBC, Pepsi and Dell. Lightspeed gave consumers a list of brands and asked them to say whether they are sponsors of the games or not. The results reveal that 20% think MasterCard is sponsoring London 2012, compared with 27% who correctly identify Visa as an official sponsor.

Adidas gets 14% in terms of prompted awareness of its £100m sponsorship, compared with 15% of people who wrongly think that rival Nike is involved with the games. However, Coca-Cola trumps Pepsi, with 38% correctly identifying Coke as an official supporter, compared with 9% who think Pepsi is the official soft drinks supplier.

Ralph Risk, Lightspeed’s EMEA marketing director, says the public’s false perceptions of non-Olympics sponsor brands are forgivable because of the “halo effects” of big brand activities. “People automatically assume big brands are involved in big events,” he says.

The consensus across the Frontline panel is that large multinational brands stick in the minds of consumers anyway. However, the brand power of official London 2012 partners McDonald’s and Coca-Cola sees them hold their own against outsiders. They top the prompted recall list at 39% and 38% respectively.

But the panel also concurs that any fears of ambush marketing by non-sponsors will encourage official partner brands to communicate their sponsorship very clearly.

Stephen Vaughan at official Olympics partner Thomas Cook says: “I think the ambush marketing activities around 2012 will be 10 times worse compared to what has happened before. Brands will use the Union flag, carefully worded copy or former athletes to establish a link. It just makes me more determined to ensure the quality of our official communications.”

Business brands that have signed up to become official Olympics partners such as Dow, Adecco, Cisco and Deloitte are at the bottom of the prompted recall ranking thanks to the nature of their sector and lack of consumer awareness. The majority of respondents also indicate that they do not know what these brands do.

Lightspeed’s Risk says: “You would expect business-to-business brands to be looking at how they talk to their partners and clients about their Olympic activity. It probably wouldn’t give them that much bang for their buck by talking to general consumers.”

This comes after a Global Language Monitor report analysing ambush marketing.