This pair of blue drawstring shorts was designed and made by Bonds as part of the 'sports specific' uniform for members of Games Force 2000 - the accredited workforce for the Sydney 2000 Games. Identical shorts were worn at specific sports events, such as tennis matches where they appeared on ball boys and ball girls. Worn with a matching t-shirt, they were supplemented with a wet-weather jacket and tracksuit. The shorts now contribute to the broad range of uniforms remaining from Games Force 2000.

Games Force 2000 was the accredited workforce that provided skilled and unskilled labour for most operations at the Sydney 2000 Games. Its team of 80,000 personnel, including volunteers, and contracted and paid staff, provided the most visible and some of the most essential services at the Games. In return, team members received complimentary transport to and from Sydney 2000 venues, complimentary meals when on duty, and a complete Games Force uniform.

The Australian clothing manufacturer, Bonds, was the official supplier of casual uniforms for the Sydney 2000 Games, and in this role it designed and manufactured over 1 million items of clothing for Games Force 2000. The resulting uniform distribution programme would be the largest in Australian peacetime.

Wendy Paulucci, Bonds' in-house designer, worked with SOCOG for three years to develop a uniform that would reflect the bright, casual, and essentially Australian mood of the Sydney 2000 Games. The Fluid Energy graphic - a swirling, concentric design - was fundamental to the look and image of the Sydney 2000 Games, and was a key visual element of the Games Force uniform. This theme appeared on all polo shirts and wet-weather jackets to unify the Games Force personnel and to complement the look of the Games.

Enhancing this motif was a vibrant colour palette that, "like the continent itself", was "a celebration of contrasts". This palette served to brighten the uniform and, most importantly, to delineate each of the service groups within the Games Force team. Sydney blue, the principal colour of the colour palette, was representative of games services; Sydney yellow of spectator services; Sydney purple of transport services; Sydney lime of security services; Sydney red of medical officials; Sydney indigo of technical officials; and Sydney aqua of SOBO - the Sydney Olympic Broadcasting Organisation. These colours appeared on the collars and sleeves of polo shirts and wet-weather jackets - key items within the basic uniform.

Aside from the polo shirt and wet-weather jacket, the basic Games Force uniform comprised drill trousers or drill skirt, a wide-brimmed hat and a hip bag. (Personnel wore their own shoes.) Additional accessories included water bottles, baseball caps and waterproof ponchos. A secondary range of casual clothing was designed for specific personnel, such as ball persons, tennis umpires, and badminton, boxing and wrestling referees. In addition, a formal uniform with drill trousers, business shirt, blazer and scarf or tie, served technical officials and games service personnel. Importantly, the overall image was bright, neat, casual and recognisable.

The Australian clothing company, Bonds, manufactured all of the casual uniforms for Games Force 2000, including 'sports specific' uniforms for Games Services. These uniforms were worn by Games Services volunteers at hockey, baseball, softball, volleyball and tennis events. They comprised drawstring shorts and a matching t-shirt, a wet-weather jacket and tracksuit, and suited the physical work of Games Services volunteers. The bright colours within the uniform - Sydney blue with white or aqua graphic designs - came directly from the Sydney 2000 colour palette, and appeared on all Games Services uniforms.

Designed by Wendy Paulucci at Bonds, April 2000

Made in Fiji by Bonds, 2000

Unused

Made for and owned by the Olympic Coordination Authority/Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games, and donated to the Powerhouse Museum after use in the Games.

Shorts, Games Force uniform, Sydney 2000 Olympic and Paralympic Games, cotton, designed by Wendy Paulucci at Bonds, April 2000, made in Fiji, 2000

Shorts, Binds brand. The shorts are size 'Small', blue cotton, with elastic waistband and white cotton cord drawstring. The shorts have two side pockets. The text: 'Sydney 2000/ TM ?' is transferred in white vertically along the left leg. On the front right leg is a rectangular black label with white text 'Bonds'. Inside the waistband are 2 labels - a black manufacturers label with white text 'Bonds', and a white care instructions label with black text. Powerhouse Museum registration label is sewn beneath these labels.

Made: 2000

2001/84/453

2000

665 mm