This is an example of the cotton polo shirts that were worn by Spectator Services at the Sydney Olympic and Paralympic Games. Comprising around 15,000 volunteers, Spectator Services inspected tickets and provided general assistance at Olympic and Paralympic venues. It also formed the largest branch of Games Force 2000 - the accredited workforce that served at the Sydney 2000 Games. The polo shirts were part of the broader suite of casual uniforms that identified the seven individual, Games Force groups: Games Services, Spectator Services, Transport Services, Security Services, Medical Officials, Technical Officials and the Sydney Olympic Broadcasting Organisation.

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.

Designed by Wendy Paulucci at 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.

Polo shirt and packaging, Games Force uniform, Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, cotton / plastic, designed by Wendy Paulucci, April 2000, made by Bonds, Fiji, 2000.

Shirt, "2XS", cotton polo with a yellow machine knitted collar, yellow ribbed armbands, and a yellow opening from the neckline to the chest. The Olympic rings have been knitted into the surface of the right hand collar in white. Two silver buttons, stamped "Sydney 2000", are sewn onto the right-hand side with associated buttonholes on the left. The section from the waist to the hemline is white. The upper section on front and back features a multi-coloured Fluid Energy pattern edged by design representing the Opera House sails. The right sleeve is yellow, the left sleeve is white with a blue vertical transfer that reads: "Sydney 2000". A black rectangular label with white text "Bonds/ R" is sewn below the transfer above cuff on the left sleeve. On inside back of shirt is a square manufacturers label, white with Fluid Energy pattern, white "Sydney 2000/ TM/ ?" and black text: "This garment is proudly supplied/ by BONDS sharing your/ commitment to the Games/ BONDS/ r". Above this a white tag with black text: "XS". A care instruction label is sewn along left side seam. The Powerhouse Museum registration tag is attached near this.

Made: 2000

2001/84/408

2000