• Loading stock data...
Friday, September 12, 2025
Tuned In is Almost Sold Out! Limited Tickets Remain!

Samsung Olympic Swag Bags May Accidentally Violate International Sanctions

  • A similar situation occurred at the 2018 PyeongChang Games.
  • Samsung, a South Korean company, is a major Olympic sponsor.
Amber Searls-USA TODAY Sports

A free gift to Olympic athletes may have international fallout.

Every athlete in the Olympics was set to receive a free Samsung phone. But South Korean officials said Thursday that the swag for North Korean athletes would violate 2017 sanctions against the country for its nuclear program. 

The International Olympic Committee later claimed the North Korean athletes never received the phones.

“We can confirm that the athletes of the National Olympic Committee of DPRK have not received the Samsung phones,” a spokesperson for the IOC said, according to Reuters.

Samsung, a South Korea–based company, is an official Olympic sponsor.

North Korea sent 16 athletes to Paris to compete across seven sports, including table tennis and wrestling, after sitting out the Tokyo Games, which took place in 2021, due to the country’s self-imposed lockdown to combat COVID-19. As a result, the IOC banned the country from competing in the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing. 

It’s not clear where the phones that were supposed to go to the North Korean athletes are now, according to the Associated Press.

In 2017, the UN Security Council passed a resolution that prohibited the supply, sale, or transfer of “all industrial machinery” to North Korea. 

The same issue arose during the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics in South Korea. Local organizers dangled the phones then, with the offer that the North Koreans could return them before heading home; the athletes refused them entirely.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Hosszu

World Aquatics Reaches $4.6 Million Settlement With Pro Swimmers

Meanwhile, the International Swimming League’s case heads to trial in January.
Megan Romano

The $800 Million Enhanced Games Lawsuit Could Have Legs

Antitrust experts say the case could have some merit.
Cooper Lutkenhaus

Running Prodigy Ditches High School and College for Nike at 16

Cooper Lutkenhaus is a contender at next month’s track world championships.

Tony Hawk Finds His Enduring Fame ‘Baffling’

The skateboarder said it’s “still kind of a shock” to be recognized.

Featured Today

Eagles-Chiefs Super Bowl Rematch Could Set More NFL Ratings Records

Fox will nationally televise Sunday afternoon’s matchup.
September 10, 2025

ESPN’s ‘MNF’ Ratings Up 8% As NFL Surges to Strong Start

ESPN posts its second-best Week 1 “Monday Night Football” audience.
Sep 7, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills fans react during the fourth quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at Highmark Stadium.
September 9, 2025

As Bills Ascend, Their Next Frontier Lies in Canada

Buffalo and the powerful Canadian entity MLSE come together in a new pact.
opinion
September 9, 2025

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly from NFL’s Week 1 Broadcasts

Many viewers decried the addition of ads to “NFL RedZone.”
September 8, 2025

Alcaraz and Sinner Have More to Gain in 2025 After Splitting Slams

Alcaraz and Sinner have split the last eight Grand Slams.
September 10, 2025

Kuminga, Grimes Remain Unsigned As Giddey Agrees to $100M Deal

Two of the four restricted free agents have inked deals.
Sponsored

How World Series Champ Dexter Fowler Became a Premier League Team Owner

Dexter Fowler discusses navigating retirement and embracing new roles as an owner & investor.
September 7, 2025

Alcaraz Beats Sinner, Wins $5M Prize, Reclaims World No. 1

Alcaraz won a record $5 million first prize at the US Open.
Angel Reese
September 5, 2025

Angel Reese Suspended For Half-Game After Ripping Teammates

The team is disciplining Reese for criticizing her teammates publicly.
Caitlin Clark
September 4, 2025

Caitlin Clark Says She Won’t Return From Injury This Year

She only played 13 games this season.
James Harden
September 4, 2025

James Harden’s Houston Restaurant Shut for Falling $2 Million Behind in Rent

A sign on the door says the locks have been changed.