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Pressure increases on Olympia Pizza owner to remove "rings" logo

December 29, 2004

Canadian Broadcasting Company: The head of the Olympic Organizing Committee is giving the owner of a Vancouver restaurant until Jan. 31 to take his Olympic symbols down.

The OOC's John Furlong says legal action will begin against the owner of the Olympia Restaurant if he doesn't comply.

Furlong said he's spent the last few months trying to persuade owner Mosi Alvand to remove the Olympic rings and torch from his pizzeria's sign.

"You can only go and ask and visit so many times," Furlong said.

Furlong says 2010 organizers have made a commitment to the International Olympic Committee to protect the distinct trademarks.

"We have signed on the dotted line that we would not let this happen," he says. "When we went over there and gave our warranty of the province and the country on the bid, that was the promise we made. And that's a key part of our discussions with the IOC."

But Alvand says he has no plans to take down or change his sign. "I've built it up over the years so I'm not going to destroy it."

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