With the clock ticking towards the start of the Vancouver Olympic Winter 2010 Games next Friday, some athletes have already arrived in the City and moved into the Olympic Athletes’ Village.   Amongst these are members of  the Australian Olympic Team, who have already found themselves in some in hot water with the International Olympic Committee (“IOC’).   According to a recent story, team members have hung a 50-metre flag, depicting a boxing kangaroo, on the side of one of the housing complexes in the Olympic Village.

The IOC had apparently ordered the flag removed as the boxing kangaroo image is a registered trademark of the Australian Olympic Committee.  The IOC Rules control display of registered trademarks.

The Australian Olympic Team had suggested that they may not take the flag down without a fight, as the boxing kangaroo is apparently known as the national personification of Australia.

The IOC has now apparently agreed to let the Australian Olympic Team continue to fly the flag.  In the future, the Australian Olympic Committee will need to register the flag with the IOC if the flag is to be used at Olympics.