Sydney Olympic FC may be forced to change its new logo after it was found to breach protections over official Olympic symbols, including the rings and torch.
The club unveiled the design on Sunday, October 19 before its first home game in the Australian Championship but later removed the rings from its social media accounts after the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) confirmed the symbols are protected intellectual property.
While Sydney Olympic is permitted to use its name – as it predates the Olympic Insignia Protection Act 1987 – it cannot use “Olympic properties” such as the rings or torch without a licence.
“These are protected Olympic IP reserved exclusively for official Olympic sponsors and licensees,” an AOC spokesperson said in a statement.
“Sydney Olympic FC did not approach the AOC about this logo specifically, but we will give them a call and talk through Olympic IP permissions, requesting them to remove the rings and torch given they are protected Olympic properties.”
The Greek Herald contacted club chairman Damon Hanlin for comment, but did not receive a response at the time of publication.
