2023 Athlete’s Agreement

SCHEDULE 7: Branding, Use of Image & Media Work Policy

Original Wording

Rowing Ireland will always support and encourage our High-Performance Athletes with commercial partnerships as long as these partnerships are not a conflict of interest with one of the current partners of Rowing Ireland. Should an athlete have a sponsor that they believe is not a conflict that has been rejected they may bring this to a panel established with a member of the HP committee, a member of the Commercial committee, the Business development lead and one athlete representative.

New wording

Commercial revenue is vital to the success and development of Rowing Ireland.  For this reason, commercial relationships between Rowing Ireland and its partners/ sponsors need to be maintained and to be kept in line with commercial agreements. As a result, athletes and Rowing Ireland have a shared responsibility to maintain and support the commercial obligations of Rowing Ireland.  

Rowing Ireland will always support and encourage our High Performance Athletes in their individual commercial partnerships as long as those relationships  do not create a conflict of interest with one of the current partners/ sponsors of Rowing Ireland.  High Performance Athletes will always respect and endorse Rowing Ireland partners/sponsors in a professional manner.  Rowing Ireland in turn will ensure that commercial requests by High Performance Athletes are addressed in a fair and timely manner.  

High Performance Athletes are required to confirm with the Commercial Executive that any individual commercial relationship that they wish to enter into will not result in a conflict of intertest – before a final agreement is reached by that individual High Performance Athlete.  The Commercial Executive will respond promptly and discretely to all such requests from High Perormance Athletes.

A conflict of interest would arise if the products or services connected with an individual athlete are in the same category of products or services as those of Rowing Ireland‘s Commercial Partners*. For example, a commercial relationship with a dealership assocaited with a particualr car brand could be deemed to create a conflct of interest with the car brand currently associated with Rowing Ireland.

The current Rowing Ireland partners/ sponsors include:

*A High Performance Athlete may seek consent to form a commercial relationship that may create a conflict of interest by making a formal request to the Commercial Executive. This will be reviewed and answered within five working days.  The Commercial Executive will provide a brief reason with their response.  If negative, a High Performance Athlete may appeal that response by submitting an appeal to the Chair of the Commercial Committee and the Chair of Rowing Ireland within five working days of the response from the Commercial Executive.  The Chair of the Commercial Committee and Chair of Rowing Ireland will consider the request within five working days and will provide reasons for their decision. 

When the partners/ sponsors of Rowing Ireland change, all High Performance Athletes will be advised via the Commercial Executive. 

Where a Rowing Ireland athlete wishes to enter into their own sponsorship agreement, they do so as an individual rather than as a representative of Rowing Ireland or as a Rowing Ireland athlete / member of the national or Olympic team. 

With regards to individual sponsorship agreements, the Rowing Ireland name, branding, logos, equipment, Rowing Ireland activities including trials or racing and the National Rowing Centre itself cannot be used for any promotional or marketing purposes. Use of those individual sponsor(s) name(s), branding or logos are not permitted in conjunction with any Rowing Ireland activities including trials or racing. 

Athletes should be judicious at regattas as they may have a duty to their clubs. Any endorsement should be done solely in the club colours.