Olympics Organizer Faces Suit Initiated by Paddy Power

Removal of ads enrages the Irish company A report came this week that the London Olympics organizer LOCOG is now facing a legal action initiated by Irish bookmaker Paddy Power because their London city billboard advertising has been removed at the order of LOCOG. The ads were aimed at promoting the company's sponsorship of an "egg and spoon race" held in the French town London, Burgundy, during the lead up to the London 2012 Olympics. The billboards were posted at the busy London Bridge, Kings Cross and Victoria stations, and they state: "Official sponsor of the largest athletics event in London this year! "There you go, we said it. (Ahem, London France that is)" Assessing that they breach legislation centered on advertising around the London Games, LOCOG instructed the removal of the billboards; therefore, Paddy Power has engaged law firm Charles Russell to dispute the claim. According to a Paddy Power spokesperson, "We pride ourselves on listening to our customers and what we've heard loud and clear is that LOCOG have got their priorities upside down. It's a pity they didn't put the same energy into the ticketing and security arrangements for the Games that they put into protecting their sponsorship revenue streams. We're taking this fight to the High Court in the interest of our customers and of common sense." On the other side, a comment arrived from a London 2012 spokesperson, who specified: "We can take a joke, but as you would expect we had to draw the line at the provocative references to LOCOG. We also have a responsibility to ensure that no-one thinks betting companies have any sort of official connection to London 2012."