Hey, so no biggie, it's just The Olympic Games. We jest of course. With 1 billion people expected to tune into the opening ceremony this evening it is actually, kind of a big deal. For the football side of the games, well, that began two days ago and like those teams on FIFA16 or Pro Evo that didn't get the correct licences for whatever reasons, many of the traditional badges associated with football are missing from Brazil 2016 and it just looks positively odd.
When you grow up consuming football in the way we all do, the club crests along with international badges just become second nature. So naturally, it's peculiar when another design or indeed kit shows up and fills in for something you've built that subliminal relationship with for so many years.
Even more so, when European Champions Portugal are sporting the same kit they did just a matter of weeks ago at EURO 2016 and Argentina do the same from their COPA America showdown appearance, only with a different badge, it royally messes with your melon, man. All that before we mention Sweden rocking up in a H&M crafted kit that has a whole new badge too...
The question, why? Well it's all pretty simple really. Ladies and gentlemen, we present you with the bottom line of 'Rule 50' from the International Olympic Committee charter, that outlines, "No form of publicity or propaganda, commercial or otherwise, may appear on persons, on sportswear, accessories or, more generally, on any article of clothing or equipment whatsoever worn or used by all competitors, team officials, other team personnel and all other participants in the Olympic Games..."
So it all comes down to branding, largely. The IOC are pretty hot on it too - breaking that rule can lead to disqualification, so most teams have to rework their kits. Just for safe measure too, this is also thrown into the whopper of a rule book, "The numbers worn by competitors may not display publicity of any kind and must bear the Olympic emblem of the OCOG."
So expect a revised look all over folks.
