The US-China Olympic rivalry heated up in an unfashionable way Thursday when a top US lawmaker suggested burning the US team's outfits for the opening ceremony because they were made in China.
"I'm so upset. I think the Olympic Committee should be ashamed of themselves," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid told reporters when asked about an ABC News report on the origin of the Ralph Lauren-designed uniforms.
"I think they should take all the uniforms, put them in a big pile and burn them," an outraged Reid added.
"If they have to wear nothing but a symbol that says USA on it, painted by hand, that is what they should wear."
It was the strongest of reactions about the outfits heard on Capitol Hill, where lawmakers who often bicker over ways to keep US jobs, including in the textile industry, from heading overseas to low-wage economies like China and India.
A Congress that has rarely been so divided, was for once in this bitter election year, united in its condemnation of the Olympic Committee.
"You'd think they'd know better," Republican House Speaker John Boehner said of the fashion kerfuffle during a press briefing.
House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, his predecessor as speaker, also expressed her disappointment at the fashion faux pas.
"We take great pride in our Olympic athletes," Pelosi said.
"They represent the very best, and they're so excellent," she said.
"It's all so beautiful, and they should be wearing uniforms that are made in America."
Olympic Committee (USOC) spokesman Patrick Sandusky defended the decision.
"Unlike most Olympic teams around the world, the US Olympic Team is privately funded and we're grateful for the support of our sponsors," he said.
"We're proud of our partnership with Ralph Lauren, an iconic American company, and excited to watch America's finest athletes compete at the upcoming Games in London."
Sandusky also defended the decision on Twitter, citing Ralph Lauren being an American company while stepping around the manufacturing location issue.
"All this talk about olympic uniforms made in China is nonsense. Polo RL is an American company that supports American athletes," his tweet read.
But outraged US Olympic sports fans made their feelings known on the official US Olympic Committee Twitter site.
"talk about denigrating USA athletes," wrote one fan.
"Bugging me that @RalphLauren couldn't make the @USOlympic uniforms in the US. God knows there's plenty of empty factories & qualified pple," tweeted Mary Marcanotio.
Nick Symmonds, a US Olympic 800-meter runner, tweeted, "Our Ralph Lauren outfits for the Olympic opening ceremonies were made in China. So, um, thanks China."
Irate lawmakers wrote a letter Thursday to USOC chairman Lawrence Probst saying it was "shocking and deeply disappointing" to learn of the China-made uniforms, and calling on the committee to take steps to ensure such an "embarrassment" never happens again.
"We have enormous pride in all of our Olympic athletes and want to ensure they are displaying the same pride we have in our American workers when competing on the world stage," congressman Steve Israel and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand wrote.
2012-07-13
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奧運制服中國製 美議員批：全部燒掉
2012-07-13 13:42 新聞速報 【中央社】
美國奧運選手制服為中國製，引發國會部分人士砲火隆隆，甚至建議「放火燒掉」。
在美國織品業經營困難、許多工人渴望就業機會之際，美國奧林匹克委員會（U.S. Olympic Committee）卻決定讓代表隊穿上中國製的貝雷帽、運動夾克與褲子，今天引發兩黨國會議員不滿。
民主黨籍參院多數黨領袖瑞德（Harry Reid）在國會山莊（Capitol Hill）記者會表示：「我很不高興，我認為奧委會應該要感到羞愧。他們應該要把衣服堆起來，放把火燒掉，全部重新來過。」
眾院民主黨領袖裴洛西（Nancy Pelosi）在每週例行記者會告訴記者，她以美國奧運選手為榮，但「他們應該穿著美國製的制服」。
共和黨眾院議長貝納（John Boehner）提到奧委會時僅說：「我還以為他們比較內行。」
美國奧委會發表聲明，捍衛倫奧美國代表隊制服設計師雷夫羅倫（Ralph Lauren）的選擇。
奧委會發言人桑達斯基（Patrick Sandusky）說：「和其他國家不同的是，美國奧運代表隊是私人經費贊助，我們非常感激贊助商的支持。我們很驕傲能和美國指標公司雷夫羅倫合作，很興奮即將看到美國最好的運動員在倫敦參賽。」
雷夫羅倫公司拒絕對指責置評。（譯者：中央社陳怡君）1010713
