ATHLETES at the London 2012 Olympics will be allowed to use social networking site Twitter - but could be kicked out if they break strict rules.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) today said all social media activity must respect the Olympic Charter, which bans political demonstrations.
Any x-rated comments will be severly dealt with, and postings deemed to be for commercial purposes will not be permitted either.
The IOC said it “actively encourages and supports athletes...to take part in ‘social media’ and to post, blog and tweet their experiences”.
But they must be restricted to “first-person, diary-type formats” and must ensure their posts do not contain “vulgar or obscene words or images”.
The broadcast of video and audio taken inside Olympic venues remains banned but athletes may post videos taken outside the stadiums.
The IOC generate huge revenue from the sale of television and online media rights and so remain highly protective of their intellectual property.
Anybody who is considered to have breached the guidelines could have their Olympic accreditation removed - effectively banning them from the Games.
