Gold medal speed skater Jutta Leerdam learns fate from IOC after accusations of $1m bra stunt probed
It is already a defining image of Milano Cortina 2026.
Moments after storming to gold in the 1,000m, Dutch speed skater Jutta Leerdam unzipped her racing suit, her eyes welling with tears of relief.
But as she took her victory lap, the raw emotion — and her white Nike sports bra — were on full display for a global audience.
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Dutch speed skater Jutta Leerdam celebrates her Olympic record-breaking gold medal in the women's 1,000m final at Milano Cortina 2026. Lukas Kabon/Anadolu via Getty Images
With FILA serving as the official kit sponsor for the Dutch Olympic team, Leerdam's visible Nike branding immediately ignited a firestorm, with critics labelling the move a calculated act of ambush marketing.
Now, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has weighed in on the potential breach of sponsorship regulations.
The IOC's marketing media guide for Milano Cortina 2026 emphasises that "preserving the commercial value of the Olympic brand" is a top priority.
The document further warns that ambush marketing — the unauthorised use of Olympic properties — threatens to "undermine the value of official partnerships," directly impacting the IOC's ability to "generate revenue that supports athletes and sports organisations at all levels around the world".
Watch the Winter Olympic Games Milano Cortina 2026 live and free on Channel 9 and 9Now. Plus, every event live & on demand, every medal in 4K, and exclusive international coverage on Stan Sport.
Having been a Nike partner since only last December, Leerdam's decision to unzip her orange-and-blue suit to reveal the logo underneath could have netted her a $1 million payday, according to marketing experts.
Capitalising on the moment, Nike's official Instagram account — with its reach of nearly 300 million followers — doubled down.
Posting a photo of Leerdam's celebration with the branding clearly visible, the sportswear giant added a caption that served as a bold nod to the controversy: "When you're this fast, you don't ask for permission".
IOC television and marketing services boss Anne-Sophie Voumard has since dismissed the accusations of ambush marketing against Leerdam.
"I'm not an expert in speed skating, but I understand this [unzipping the uniform after a race] is normal practice for speed skaters when they finish their race because the suit is very tight," she told the Sun.
"It is normal practice and not a case of ambush marketing."
Off the back of her 1,000m triumph, Leerdam also clinched silver in the 500m.
The 27-year-old's growing prominence during the Games has been further amplified by her high-profile relationship with fiancé Jake Paul, the influencer-turned-boxer who was seen emotionally cheering her on from the stands.
