Carter, Ulmer in Games sponsorship row

Sarah Ulmer

Two of the country's biggest Commonwealth Games stars, Sarah Ulmer and Hamish Carter, are caught in an advertising wrangle and have yet to sign agreements with the organisers.

Olympic Committee boss Barry Maister has hit out against sponsors planning "ambush" marketing for the athletes.

The stalemate - just nine weeks out from the start of the games - revolves round the right to run personal advertising in conflict with the committee's sponsors. Games-bound athletes must sign an agreement that prevents their personal sponsors from promoting them for two weeks before, two weeks during and two weeks after the games. Ulmer and Carter have not signed.

The pair's manager, Roger Mortimer, said his clients' sponsors had advertisements scheduled to run during the games and cancelling them would be difficult.

"It's just not going to be possible.

"Hamish and Sarah will be involved in marketing campaigns that have absolutely nothing to do with the Commonwealth Games, that will be running during that period," Mr Mortimer said.

"They've been in place for a long time.

"It's just making sure there's no attempt to pass off any association with the Commonwealth Games."

But Mr Maister said any advertisements could not associate any athlete with a non-games product, and companies would need to find a way around that. "If we don't protect our sponsors during this small period then we haven't got a games to deliver. The athletes would have to pay to go to the games," he said.

"If we have conflicting sponsors that want to go down the ambush line then it's a bit hard to talk to them. But our contracts are with athletes, not third-party sponsors."

Mr Maister said athletes needed to be aware of their obligations when they signed on with personal sponsors.

"It's like the drugs issue - it's no use blaming someone else," he said.

"We're saying here, athletes beware, you've got to be responsible for your sponsors."

For a small period of time every four years, "the NZOC sponsors must prevail".

Mr Maister said conflict between sponsors arose before every games but it was always resolved through compromise.

But a spokesman for car manufacturer Hyundai said it had every right to continue running advertisements that feature Carter during the games.

Sales and marketing manager Howard Spencer told One News that the NZOC had no right to dictate company advertising.

"They are trying to have some control over a relationship that they have no commercial interest in," he said.

- NZPA