First rule of the Olympics is you do not talk about the Olympics

Peer into the future a few days and you may be able to make out an Australian swimmer standing in a packed Parisian stadium, gleaming gold medal around her neck. Her proud mum takes a photo of her daughter, and the next day, the athlete posts the happy snap, along with a grateful message thanking her coach, her family, and her sponsor.

By innocently mentioning her sponsor, a clothing company she signed to in her teens, the swimmer could be legally stripped of her Gold medal for breaching the notorious Rule 40 – a by-law in the Olympic Charter intended to protect the Games from over-commercialism, but which effectively acts as a gag order for athletes, and sidelines those sponsors who support them on the treacherous road to the Games.

Rule 40 states that only approved sponsors — those like Coca Cola and Samsung who pay millions for the privilege — may reference “Olympic-related terms” in their marketing and promotional efforts. In turn, Olympians have to abide a time-period before, during, and after the Olympics where they cannot associate their Olympic journey with any brands that aren’t official sponsors —  meaning that during the brief window in which the world’s attention is focused on them, these athletes are not allowed to mentioned the sponsors who pay them to do so. It’s a rough deal for all.