Hockey Canada looks at including 2010 logo on jersey; VANOC gives blessing

[mr.x]

Hockey Canada looks at including VANOC logo on jersey
Posted Thursday, March 26, 2009 7:14 PM ET
The Canadian Press

VANCOUVER - Hockey Canada is still at the drawing board for an 2010 Games logo but the association's president says he hopes Canada's official Olympic symbol can be part of the jersey.

Association president Bob Nicholson said Thursday his group has now submitted a fifth version of its iconic logo for approval by the International Olympic Committee for use during the 2010 Games.

But they're also in talks over the use of secondary logos on the jersey, likely on the sleeve.

Nicholson said he has his eye on the symbol of the Inukshuk over the five Olympic rings, the official logo of the 2010 Winter Olympic organizing committee, known as VANOC.

"How great would that be to wear Hockey Canada mark and the VANOC mark?'' he said.

"I think that world be something those players would cherish forever.''

The organizing committee is fiercely protective of the use of its symbol and had a special piece of legislation passed restricting it from use without their approval.

Nicholson said the idea has VANOC's support, and the committee confirmed they're behind the concept.

Use of the 2010 logo alongside a modified Hockey Canada symbol would also mark the game jerseys as icons of the Winter Games in their own right, Nicholson said.

"We will try to make whatever crest we have on the front of the jersey, if it can't be our traditional jersey it will be something all the players will be proud of,'' he said.

He said the intention was for the organization to revert to its traditional sweaters after the Olympics.

At issue with the iconic Hockey Canada logo that's been in use for 14 years is an IOC rule banning national federation logos from the Olympics.

The IOC began cracking down last summer when it restricted the uniforms worn by the Argentine and Brazilian soccer teams during the Beijing Games.

Nicholson said he hopes the back-and-forth over the logo ends soon.

"This is supposed to be about preparing our athletes not knitting our sweaters,'' he said.

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