Leading Irish athletes Sonia O'Sullivan and Catherina McKiernan could miss the Sydney Olympic Games in September because of a row over the brand of sports gear they will wear.
The threat to their participation follows an escalation of a dispute between the Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI) and Athletics Association of Ireland (AAI). It arises from the OCI's decision to send legally-binding contracts directly to the athletes, obliging them to comply with a number of conditions, including control over their sponsorship deals. Failure to accept the conditions could render athletes liable to suspension from competition by the International Amateur Athletics Federation (IAAF).
For the last five years, the Irish Olympic authorities have been embroiled in conflict with the AAI over clothing sponsorship deals. This argument is a microcosm of the international dispute between two of the world's biggest sporting organisations, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the IAAF.
Now the domestic problem has been inflamed by the OCI's insistence that it exercises control over the marketing activities of any athletes chosen for the games.
The contract forms warn that athletes may not participate in marketing or advertising campaigns other than those approved by the OCI or their official sponsors, Adidas. The higher-profile athletes contend that this imposes an unfair restriction.
O'Sullivan's agents have stated that the contracts in their present form are unacceptable. McKiernan's brother, Peadar, said that the dispute between the two organisations was placing athletes in an impossible situation. "At a time when they should be concentrating exclusively on their preparations for the games, they can do without this added pressure," he said.
A spokesman for the athletics body said to his knowledge none of the contracts had been signed.
It is the clothing issue which underpins the current dispute, as was the case in Atlanta four years ago, when O'Sullivan was required to undress publicly. She had to replace the OCI uniform, which was the same as that of her private sponsors at the time, with the official gear of the athletics body.
The OCI contends that if Irish competitors do nor wear the official branded clothing, a £600,000 contract they have with Adidas will be invalidated.
In response, the AAI says its £125,000-a-year deal with a rival clothing firm, Asics, will be lost if O'Sullivan and McKiernan do not wear its gear in Sydney.
A compromise, whereby athletes would wear Asics gear in competition and that of Adidas at all other times, including the opening parade and medal presentations, has been dismissed by the OCI.