The company had applied to join the Supplier Recognition Scheme (SRS), an initiative negotiated between the British Olympic Association (BOA) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to allow suppliers to Games projects to promote their involvement -the first scheme of its kind sanctioned by the IOC.
Among the timber suppliers that have already been allowed to join the SRS are Hoppings Softwood and Arnold Laver. But John Brash, which was the largest decking supplier to the Olympic Park in Stratford and developed its non-slip CitiDeck especially for the Games, was turned down.
The response it received to its application indicated that its product in some way overlapped with that of an Olympics sponsor.
"Your London 2012 supply falls within one of the excluded categories (chemicals, raw materials and compounds)," wrote the BOA. "These categories exist to protect the rights of official Olympic sponsors and the investment they make to ensure the viability of future Games."
"It looks like a blanket refusal and it’s not just John Brash, other companies will be getting the same thing," said a John Brash spokesperson. "Most people thought this would be a formality, and it was a box-ticking exercise. We will be going back to them and substantiating our application."
A BOA spokesperson told TTJ that it "took a careful look at every SRS application to find ways to balance the commercial rights of global Olympic Partners without whose support there would be no Games".
"Companies are asked to make their case as to why they do not fit an excluded category and this is taken into consideration," said the spokesperson. "If they are declined and would like us to consider their application further, we encourage them to send additional information and supporting material so we can address it again."
