‘Rule 40' Twitter Account Trolls Pope, White House, Trump on #Rio2016
Rule 40 limits athletes, coaches and other participants from appearing in advertising and other marketing. Twitter suspended an account that referenced the rule
•
Pope Francis received a stern message about Olympic marketing after tweeting a good luck message as the Games kicked off.
“Good luck to the athletes at #Rio2016! May you always be messengers of goodwill and true sporting spirit,” the pontiff tweeted on Friday.
His tweet received an automatic reply from a since-suspended account called Rule 40, telling the pope he was violating “Olympic guidelines.”
“.@Pontifex please refrain from using #Rio2016 protected terms," the response said. "As a global brand you are in violation of official Olympic guidelines."
The account was referencing the Olympic Charter’s Rule 40, which limits athletes, coaches and other participants from appearing in advertising and other marketing, including social media posts, without the IOC's permission. Participants are also forbidden from wearing clothing with logos of non-Olympic brands.
The International Olympic Committee has also cracked down on non-sponsoring brands that reference the Olympics by name or use Olympic logos in tweets or advertisement.
But it did not appear such messages would violate the rule and was unclear who was behind the unverified account. The website Rule40.com, which houses a link to the Twitter account, appeared to have no official link to the Olympics. The account was designed to look official. It was later suspended from Twitter.
Leo Correa/AP
Brazil's Beatriz celebrates scoring her side's first goal during a group E match of the women's Olympic football tournament between Sweden and Brazil at the Rio Olympic Stadium in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday, Aug. 6, 2016.
Alex Livesey/Getty Images
Nikolai Kuksenkov of Russia competes on the parallel bars in the Artistic Gymnastics Men's Team qualification on Day 1 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games on Aug. 6, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Getty Images
Mathew Belcher and Will Ryan of Australia in action on board their 470 class dinghy during training at Marina da Gloria on Aug. 6, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
AFP/Getty Images
Australia's Nicole Laird, left, vies with USA's Kerri Walsh Jennings during the women's beach volleyball qualifying match between the USA and Australia at the Beach Volley Arena in Rio de Janeiro on Aug. 7, 2016, for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
Getty Images
Tamara Echegoyen Dominguez and Berta Betanzos Moro of Spain in action on their 49er FX Class skiff during training at Marina da Gloria on Aug. 6, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
AP
Hungary's Katinka Hosszu sets a new world record in the women's 400-meter individual medley final during the swimming competitions at the 2016 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 6, 2016.
Patrick Smith/Getty Images
Argentina and Russia walk on the court during the Women's Preliminary Pool A match between Russia and Argentina on Day 1 of the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games on Aug. 6, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
David Ramos/Getty Images
Sopita Tanasan of Thailand competes in the Women's 48kg Group A Final on Aug. 6, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Stanislav Krasilnikov/TASS
Epee fencers Lauren Rembi (L) of France and Emese Szasz of Hungary compete in their women's epee individual fencing semifinal at the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games, at Carioca Arena 3.
AFP/Getty Images
USA's Venus Williams returns the ball to Belgium's Kirsten Flipkens during their women's first round singles tennis match at the Olympic Tennis Centre of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro on Aug. 6, 2016.
Getty Images
Klay Thompson (center) of United States goes to the basket against Yanyuhang Ding #8 and Jianlian Yi #11 of China in the Men's Preliminary Round Group A match on Day 1 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at Carioca Arena 1 on Aug. 6, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
AFP/Getty Images
USA's forward Carmelo Anthony (right) works around China's forward Yi Jianlian during a Men's round Group A basketball match between China and USA at the Carioca Arena 1 in Rio de Janeiro on Aug. 6, 2016, during the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
Getty Images
Carli Lloyd of United States celebrates after scoring during the Women's Group G first round match between United States and France during Day 1 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at Mineirao Stadium on Aug. 6, 2016 in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
Getty Images
Diyorbek Urozboev of Uzbekistan (right) competes against Amiran Papinashvili of Georgia in the Men's -60 kg Bronze Medal B contest on Day 1 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at Carioca Arena 2 on Aug. 6, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Getty Images
Greg van Avermaet of Belgium celebrates winning the gold medal ahead of Jakob Fuglsang of Denmark in the Men's Road Race on Day 1 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Fort Copacabana on Aug. 6, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
AFP/Getty Images
France's Axel Augis competes in the qualifying for the men's parallel bars event of the Artistic Gymnastics at the Olympic Arena during the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro on Aug. 6, 2016.
Getty Images
Yusra Mardini of the Refugee Olympic Team competes in the Women's 100m Butterfly Heats on Day 1 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Aquatics Stadium on Aug. 6, 2016, in Rio de Janerio, Brazil.
Getty Images
Players of Zimbabwe huddle before the match between Canada and Zimbabwe womens football for the summer olympics at Arena Corinthians on Aug. 6, 2016, in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
AFP/Getty Images
Australia's guard Matthew Dellavedova (center) falls along with France's point guard Tony Parker (right) during a Men's round Group A basketball match between Australia and France at the Carioca Arena 1 in Rio de Janeiro on Aug. 6, 2016, during the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
AFP/Getty Images
Argentina's Paula Pareto celebrates after defeating South Korea's Jeong Bokyeong during their women's -48kg judo contest gold medal match of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro on Aug. 6, 2016.
Getty Images
Daisuke Narimatsu (blue) of Japan lands a blow on Luis Cabrera of Venezuela in their Men's Light 60kg Preliminaries bout on Day 1 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at Riocentro - Pavilion 6 on Aug. 6, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
AP
United States' Samuel Mikulak performs on the vault during the artistic gymnastics men's qualification at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday, Aug. 6, 2016. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky)
Getty Images
Caroline Kumahara of Brazil plays a Women's Singles preliminary match against Melissa Tapper of Australia on Day 1 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at Riocentro - Pavilion 3 on Aug. 6, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Getty Images
Tima Tamoi of Fiji is tackled by Kathryn Johnson of the United States during the Women's Pool A rugby match between the United States and Fiji on Day 1 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at Deodoro Stadium on Aug. 6, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
AFP/Getty Images
France's left back Gnonsiane Niombla (center) vies with Netherlands' pivot Yvette Broch and Netherlands' right back Sanne van Olphen during the women's preliminaries Group B handball match Netherlands vs France for the Rio 2016 Olympics Games at the Future Arena in Rio on Aug. 06, 2016.
Getty Images
A general view of Copacabana Beach and the surrounding area on Day 1 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Beach Volleyball Arena on Aug. 6, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
AFP/Getty Images
US Genevra Stone rows during the Women's Single Sculls rowing competition at the Lagoa Stadium during the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro on Aug. 6, 2016.
Getty Images
Charline Van Snick of Belgium competes against Monica Ungureanu of Romania during the Women's 48 kg Judo on Day 1 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at Carioca Arena 2 on Aug. 6, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
AFP/Getty Images
USA's gold medallist Virginia Thrasher (center) poses on the podium with China's silver medal winner Du Li (left) and China's bronze medallist Yi Siling during the medal ceremony for the women's 10m air rifle shooting event at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Shooting Centre in Rio de Janeiro on Aug. 6, 2016.
Getty Images
The peleton rolls through Grumari during the Men's Road Race on Day 1 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Fort Copacabana on Aug. 6, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
AFP/Getty Images
USA's Carlos Zenon Balderas Jr. lands a punch on Kazakhstan's Berik Abdrakhmanov during the Men's Light (60kg) match at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Riocentro - Pavilion 6 in Rio de Janeiro on Aug. 6, 2016.
Getty Images
Kelley Hurley of United States (right) in action against Nathalie Moellhausen of Brazil during the Women s Individual Epee: round of 32 on Day 1 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at Carioca Arena 3 on Aug. 6, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
AFP/Getty Images
USA's Virginia Thrasher (left) and China's Du Li compete in the women's 10m air rifle shooting final at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Shooting Centre in Rio de Janeiro on Aug. 6, 2016.
AP
Norway's Emilie Hegh Arntzen scores a goal during the women's preliminary handball match between Norway and Brazil at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on Aug. 6, 2016.
Getty Images
Yu Xing of China practices before the Men's Team Eliminations on Day 1 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Sambodromo on Aug. 6, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
AP
Members of Great Britain cycling team, front, wait with other riders for the start of the men's cycling road race final at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Aug. 6, 2016.
Getty Images
Team from Spain retrieve their arrows from the target during practice before the Men's Team Eliminations on Day 1 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Sambodromo on Aug. 6, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Getty Images
Gergo Zalanki #2 of Hungary passes the ball against Milos Cuk #5 of Serbia in the third quarter during the Men's Water Polo Preliminary Round - Group A match between Serbia and Hungary at the Maria Lenk Aquatics Centre on Aug. 6, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Getty Images
Juan Postigos of Peru competes against Orkhan Safarov of Azerbaijan in the Men's 60 kg Judo on Day 1 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at Carioca Arena 2 on Aug. 6, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
AP
Brazil's Ana Paula Belo, left, and Norway's Emilie Hegh Arntzen challenge for the ball during the women's preliminary handball match between Norway and Brazil at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Aug. 6, 2016.
Getty Images
Armed soldiers are seen before the Men's Road Race on Day 1 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Fort Copacabana on Aug. 6, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Getty Images
A favela is seen overlooking the rowing on Day 1 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Lagoa Stadium on Aug. 6, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Getty Images
Rio 2016 logo is displayed before the Men's Road Race on Day 1 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Fort Copacabana on Aug. 6, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
AP
Visitors look at a huge screen showing the opening ceremony of the Rio Olympic Games during a public viewing event in Tokyo, Aug. 6, 2016. Japan has over 300 athletes competing in this year's summer Olympics.
The IOC did not immediately return a request for comment about the Twitter account.
Still, the response to the pope's tweet and similar messages to others who used the hashtag #Rio2016 prompted outcry across social media.
There's a long list of words that advertisers can't use, ranging from obvious ones like "Olympics" to seemingly benign ones like "effort" or "performance," depending on context. The IOC says the rules are in place to protect its sponsors' investment and prevent "over commercialization."
The blackout period for the crackdown by the IOC covers just one month — from July 27 to Aug. 24 for the Rio Olympics — it's a crucial window for many brands because for many athletes, this is the only time they have the world's attention.
