Launch

March 2004, the Play Fair at the Olympics campaign was launched in the Netherlands with a press conference and a parade through the city of Amsterdam. In the Olympic Stadium in Amsterdam the Play Fair at the Olympics report was presented by the Clean Clothes Campaign, FNV and Novib to a representative of the National Olympic Committee of the Netherlands by a gigantic Greek god by the name of Zeus. Mister Sturkenboom of the NOC said in the press conference that he was supportive of the Play Fair at the Olympics campaign and that the NOC would take the matter further with their sports federations, the IOC and with the sponsor of the Dutch Olympic Team, ASICS.

To publicly announce the campaign, the organisations went to the centre of Amsterdam led by a Greek chariot with four horses, accompanied by Zeus, cheerleaders and Greek music and with a clear message conveyed by many supporters carrying banners and letters spelling the words Fair Play. The first signatures in support of the campaign were collected. The parade was a massive success, many joined, cheered on by the citizens of Amsterdam.

Carrying a torch for fair sportswear

Tuesday June 22nd a colourful procession marched through the streets of Amsterdam as part of the international "Play Fair at the Olympics" campaign. Dutch trade Union FNV, Oxfam affiliate Novib and Clean Clothes Campaign organised an alternative Olympic torch relay through Amsterdam, one day before the arrival of the actual torch.

Five bodypainted fire artists led the procession from the "Westermarkt" to the "Nieuwmarkt". The square of the Nieuwmarkt was taken over by an inflammatory -yet colourful- demonstration with stand up comedy and a fire-eater who ignited the slogan "EIS EERLIJKE SPORTKLEDING" ("demand fair sportswear").

Cycling to Athens

To draw attention to the "Play Fair" campaign the Clean Clothes Campaign organized a bicycle tour across Europe. On Thursday the 29th of July a Dutch group left Amsterdam to meet the rest of the group of cyclists for the grand departure from Leuven in Belgium. The 27 cyclists left Leuven on Friday 30th July at 8am. They generated a lot of media interest along the way and were supported along the route by local authorities, campaigners and sportsmen and women. On 2 August in Lucerne, Switzerland the cyclists were greeted by campaigners and by a huge signpost encouraging them to keep going (only 1331 km left to Athens!). Campaign activities and press events have also been organised for the cyclists in Italy and Greece. Photos and a Dutch progress report can be found on:

schonekleren.be/trekhetjeaan/fietstocht.htm

Speaker tour: Hamdani from Indonesia

In 2003 26-years old Hamdani is fired from PT Paranub, an adidas shoe factory in Indonesia. He continues working as a labour union member. During his tour through the Netherlands Hamdani gives a guest lecture at the Amsterdam Fashion Institute and is interviewed by several media.

FILA action in the Netherlands

Because FILA continuously refuses to meet up with the international campaign coalition, actions against the brand have been organised throughout Europe. Also in the Netherlands activists went up to the national FILA office, with banners and a report on the circumstances in which FILA clothes and shoes are made. After handing over the report to a FILA controller, the activists are referred to the national FILA importer and distributor. Here the activists get to talk to the owner who had been unaware of the Olympic campaign and reacts positively. He promises to read the report and to discuss the demands with FILA Italy in a meeting later that week.

Asics receives 29.500 protest letters

In August the Dutch Fair Play campaign had gathered 29.500 signatures of Dutch consumers pressuring of sports brands to take action against unfair labour conditions in the sportswear industry. Especially Asics, as sponsor of the Dutch Olympic Committee NOC*NSF, was targeted. The many protest letters were delivered to the Asics Europe president Mister Motoi Oyama. Asics expressed sharing the concerns of the petitioners and claimed to put big effort into their corporate social responsibility. The company had already taken steps into this direction, but said that the campaign did accelerate this process.

Public broadcast of finals of Dutch swimming star

On a big screen in the centre of Amsterdam the 100 meter swimming finals were broadcasted for a large audience. During the broadcasting also short films on the Fair Play at Olympics campaign were shown. There was a lot of interest in the campaign among the public and many protest signatures were collected.