Socialympics: What to Expect from Athletes on Social Media

This year’s Summer Games are already sporting the catchy nickname, “Socialympics.” With more people than ever active on social networks, ordinary sports fans (like me!) will be turning to the athletes’ personal Twitter and Facebook feeds for the inside view of the Games. But what are these superhumans allowed to share? The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has laid out specific do’s and dont’s of social media sharing for this year’s participants. Some of the most talked about regulations include:

The Do’s and Don’ts

Athletes can’t:

• report on competition or comment on the activities of other participants (e.g., no live tweeting events or breaking news that journalists would otherwise be responsible for delivering)
• post videos of events within the official venues
• use the official symbol of the Games (the five interlocking rings) in their updates
• promote brands, products or services

Athletes can:

• post still photographs from the events or of themselves
• link to the official London Games website
• win gold medals (silver and bronze, too, of course)

Finding Athletes on Social Networks

Wouldn’t it be nice if all of the most socially influential London Games athletes were in one place? They are! And not just in the Village …

Hub.Olympics.org is exactly what it sounds like: a central location for everything related to the Games. “The Olympics Games” official Facebook and Twitter streams have been combined into an all-inclusive and easily digestible feed connecting more than 2,000 athletes and their fans. Get the most out of this site by sticking to the three Fs:

1. Find: Use the search tool to find your favorite athletes. Click on their name to see and comment on their latest Facebook and Twitter updates in real time.
2. Focus: Filter through the hundreds of athletes by searching for individuals by country, sport or event.
3. Follow: Once you track down your favorite athletes, follow or “like” them without even leaving the page.