GamesForce 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.

These taupe trousers were designed and manufactured by Bonds as part of the Sydney 2000 Games Force uniform. They were worn with a polo shirt, wide-brimmed hat and hip bag to form the basic Games Force uniform, and with a business shirt, blazer and scarf or tie to form the more official, business uniform. The Sydney 2000 Workforce Uniform Program distributed around 158,000 pairs of these taupe trousers to Games Force personnel in the weeks preceding the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.

Designed by Bonds

Made by Bonds, Fiji, 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.

Trousers, Games Force uniform, Sydney 2000 Olympic and Paralympic Games, cotton, made by Bonds, made in Fiji, 2000

Trousers, men's, with original packaging. Trousers, men's size 36 Bonds beige cotton trousers, with original packaging. The trousers taper slightly towards the bottom and are fastened with one button at the waist and a zip fly. There are two hip pockets, and one buttoned back pocket on the right side. The trousers are gathered with elastic on each side of the waistband above the hips. There are 2 pleats extending down from the waistband on either side of the trousers. Seven cotton belt loops are sewn around the waistband. A black Bonds label is sewn above the back pocket, and the trouser cuffs are hemmed.

Made: 2000

2001/84/410

2000