In response to an antitrust lawsuit filed by Run Gum last month, the United States Olympic Committee and USA Track & Field have moved to dismiss the suit, citing their right to control all commercial activities at the U.S. Olympic Trials, reports The Wall Street Journal. 

In the lawsuit titled “Gold Medal LLC d/b/a Run Gum v. USA Track & Field and United States Olympic Committee,” the Nick Symmonds’ co-founded Run Gum alleges that rules forbidding athletes to showcase their sponsors during the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials limit free competition in the marketplace. Non-apparel companies are forbidden from advertising on an athlete’s clothing at the Trials, which Run Gum claims is “anticompetitive and unlawful conduct.” 

The company is seeking an injunction that would “preliminarily and permanently” prevent the USOC and USATF from enforcing these regulations with the hope of “leveling the playing field among sponsors of track & field athletes at the Olympic Trials,” the suit reads. 

In their counter, the USOC and USATF claim that the 1978 Federal Amateur Sports Act—enacted by Congress— gives them complete control over any commercial business that has to do with Olympic-related activities. 

Symmonds and his attorney Sathya Gosselin don’t think that the regulations that limit athlete advertising to strictly clothing brands at the Trials fall within the laws purview. 

Run Gum sponsored 20 non-apparel sponsored athletes at the 2015 USATF Outdoor Championships, but the Olympic Trials are under different restrictions specific to IOC and USOC regulations.

Here's an interview with Symmonds discussing the lawsuit back in January: