Run Gum files lawsuit against U.S. Olympic Committee and USA Track and Field

This week, Run Gum has filed a lawsuit this week against the U.S. Olympic Committee and USA Track and Field for forbidding companies to advertise on athlete apparel during the 2016 Olympic Trials. This news comes originally reported this week by Flotrack.

Run Gum is co-founded by Nick Symmonds, an Olympic 800m runner. The lawsuit, which was filed on Wednesday, Jan. 20 in the U.S. district court in Eugene challenges the rules set up by both organizations. Run Gum is claiming that the regulations are limiting free competition among businesses in the marketplace.

Nick Symmonds made headlines for a similar reason in 2015 ahead of the world championships. Despite his success as an American track athlete, he was dropped from Team USA because he refused to sign their contract saying he would wear only Nike products during world championships.

Back then, he was quoted saying “You just can’t give a monopoly to a company and expect there to be a healthy, viable sport.”

RELATED: Nick Symmonds dropped from Team USA over contract disagreement. 

Now, Run Gum is also saying that these rules are unlawful conduct in that they allow certain brands to sponsor others while not awarding this opportunity to others.

As it is right now, Run Gum is not allowed to be represented on the apparel worn during the Olympic Trials. The company wants USA Track & Field and the U.S. Olympic Committee to “level the playing field” and give other brands the same rights as major shoe companies Nike, Brooks and Reebok.

Run Gum is hoping that this case will permanently stop these regulations from being enforced.

The marathon trials are set for February while the track and field Olympic Trials will go ahead in July.