Streakers who target the Olympics could face fines of up to £20,000 and even jail time, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has revealed.
The tough measures are intended to crack down on “ambush marketing” that has seen streakers painted with corporate logos crash previous Olympic events.
At the 2004 Olympics in Athens a man invaded a sporting event with the name of a company painted on his bare chest.
And in 2002, a streaker wearing nothing but the Vodafone logo painted on his back invaded the field of an international rugby match in New Zealand.
Anyone caught staging similar stunts in and around 2012 Olympic venues could face criminal charges.
The DCMS said the measures were “reasonable and proportionate”.
The legislation, which will be in place for a limited time only, takes up a different position to that usually relating to criminal offences, in that perpetrators will be presumed guilty unless they can prove their innocence.
It is said that regulating advertising during the Olympics and Paralympics protects sponsors and ensures that the games “have a consistent look and feel”.
However, advertising lawyer Nick Johnson, a partner at law firm Osborne Clarke, told the London Evening Standard that the legislation is a step too far.
“How is a CEO, marketing director or legal director supposed to prove they had no knowledge of an infringing act featuring their brand?” he asked.
