Australian Olympic Committee Denies Ban On Social Media During Sochi Games

The Australian Olympic Committee "has moved to reassure athletes there will be no blanket ban on their use of social media at the Sochi Games next month," according to Nicole Jeffrey of THE AUSTRALIAN. Australia Olympic team Chef de Mission Ian Chesterman said Monday the athletes were "encouraged to use social media but urged to use it responsibly." Chesterman said, "The only restriction applies to the use of social media inside each athlete's training and competition venue." The AOC estimates that "athletes will not have access to social media for about 14 hours of the 408-hour period of the Games." Chesterman: "The other 394 hours they are free to tweet as much as they want" (THE AUSTRALIAN, 1/7).