Less than four months before the opening of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the event’s logo is at the center of a legal battle. Designer Sylvain Boyer, who created the emblem of the competition – a female face, referencing Marianne, with hair resembling the Olympic flame – filed a lawsuit on Tuesday, April 9, for alleged “favoritism, influence peddling, forgery, and concealment.” The National Financial Prosecutor’s Office has confirmed receiving the complaint and is currently analyzing it before potentially opening an investigation if the allegations are substantiated.
The complaint, reviewed by Le Monde, highlights the circumstances under which Sylvain Boyer believes he was removed from a contract in early 2020. The contract included not only the emblem but also the design of the visual identity of the Olympics, its adaptation to “all types of media,” and supporting the Games organizing committee on these matters. The contract, awarded in March 2019, was worth nearly 1 million euros for an expected duration of four years with annual renewals. After creating the emblem and typography for the event, Sylvain Boyer’s company, Ecobranding, along with partner Royalties, were informed in January 2020 that the contract would not be renewed beyond the first year.
Officially, the committee justified their decision not to renew the contract in early 2020 due to “evolving needs of Paris 2024,” citing a desire to internalize the related tasks. However, the committee then issued a new tender for a contract titled “creation and development of visual identities for brands, labels, and assets,” which, according to Boyer, included some of the tasks previously assigned to Ecobranding and Royalties. This new contract, which Boyer was unable to apply for due to selection criteria imposed by the organizing committee, was ultimately awarded in April 2020 to agency W&Cie (now W Conran), a subsidiary of the Havas group, and Havas Sports & Entertainment.
“After creating the emblem, the committee excluded us and awarded the mission to W&Cie instead,” criticized Sylvain Boyer. This decision allowed the agency to become the communication agency for many exclusive partners of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.” At the time the contract was not renewed, Royalties and Ecobranding had invoiced the committee 147,000 euros, 15% of the initial budget, including 20,000 euros for the creation and transfer of copyright for the emblem. The situation has led to a legal battle with allegations of favoritism and misconduct.
In response to these allegations, the organizing committee for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games stated that they have always acted in accordance with the law and were transparent in their decision-making process. They have reiterated that the decision not to renew the contract with Sylvain Boyer’s company was based on evolving needs and internalization of tasks. However, the legal battle continues, with the designer seeking justice for what he believes was unfair treatment and exclusion from further opportunities related to the Olympic Games. The outcome of the case could have implications for the reputation and integrity of the Paris 2024 Olympics.
