Kuerten Back In The Games
Gustavo Kuerten will join Brazil's Olympic team after sponsors compromised on a dispute that nearly kept him out of the Sydney Games.
"Everything is resolved," Kuerten said Thursday.
Kuerten's personal sponsor, Italy's Diadora, and the Brazilian Olympic Committee have agreed that Kuerten's Olympic uniform will not display any trademarks, unless he wins a medal, in which case, he would wear a uniform provided by the team's official sponsor, sportswear manufacturer Olympikus.
Earlier this week, the Committee announced Kuerten, No. 2 in the ATP Tour ranking, was off the team because the two sponsors could not agree on which trademark he would wear at the games.
Negotiations had reportedly broken down after Diadora agreed to let Kuerten play in another uniform, but refused to let him display the Olympikus trademark.
Although Brazil's soccer team and track athletes are allowed to wear uniforms from other sponsors, the Olympic Committee refused to make the same allowance for Kuerten, claiming he spoke up too late about his plan to wear a uniform from his own sponsor.
Kuerten said he was very happy with the compromise and plans to leave for Sydney on Friday.
"I think it was the power of the people that put me in the Olympics," he said.
As for the uniform, Kuerton said, "If I have to play without a shirt with my chest painted green and yellow, I'm up for it."
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