Michael Phelps Keeps Medals; Sparks Conversation on Olympic Reform

Today, spokesman for the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) Patrick Sandusky asserted that Phelps' Louis Vuitton photo-shoot did not breach Rule 40, an Olympic provision which prevents athletes from promoting non-official sponsors for about a month before and after the games.

A Spark in a Thunderstorm

Sandusky tweeted that "As far as USOC is concerned (Phelps) or his team didn't clear photos in (the Louis Vuitton) campaign to be released before deadline. Ad campaigns run after date. End of story."

The controversy surrounding Michael Phelps' supposed breach of the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) Rule 40 is not an isolated incident; it comes amidst an organized protest against the provision by top athletes.

Rule 40 has recently been the target of medal winners such as Sanya Richards-Ross and Nick Symmonds, spreading awareness of their protest under the twitter tags #wedemandchange and #rule40.

Richards-Ross is a track and field athlete who won the gold in the 4x400m relay in the 2004, 2008, and 2012 Olympics. Other medals include a gold in the 2012 400m and a bronze for the 2008 400m.

The runner takes to twitter and states, "Hard working Olympians leave the games with no financial support while $6 billion earned around these games."

Sanya adds, "#WeDemandChange is not Anti-Olympic or Anti-Sponsor, it's Anti-Exploitation."

Outlook 

Forbes reports that the IOC has failed to adapt to the times, imposing unfair restrictions on the range of freedom that athletes retain on social media platforms to speak about their sponsors.  

Richards-Ross expresses that "the Olympic reality has changed. It's time it's reflected on every level, not just the top! Money not reaching hungry athletes"

IOC spokesman Mark Jones responded, stating that "A huge number of 10,500 athletes who are here would understand why we are doing this...For one month, we ask them not to endorse products not related to the Olympics that don't actually give money back to the movement."

It appears that a failure of communication is at play here. Phelps' Louis Vuitton controversy has already intensified the pressure of the IOC to reform its infamous provision, but it remains to be seen whether or not a compromise between Olympic athletes and the IOC is in the cards.