VANCOUVER – The Canadian Olympic Committee and the Canadian Paralympic Committee have partnered with the Alberta Beef Council to unveil the new athlete kits for the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics made entirely out of 100% Canadian Beef.
“We are proud of our sustainable, biodegradable athlete uniforms that are stylish, functional, and ready for grilling,” said David O’Neill, head of the Canadian Olympic Committee. “The uniforms will really help our athletes stand out under the hot, summer, Parisian sun.”
The designers have made the obvious connection between the traditional Canadian colours of red and white to the signature marbling of a 12-oz Alberta Rib-Eye. With a texture, pattern, and odour that is unmistakable for anything other than raw meat, the outfits were designed with the comfort and function that marries human muscle with cattle.
“We’ve each been given sixteen uniforms, one for each day of the Olympics and at the end of the day we can bring it to the canteen where reps from the Canadian Charcoal Alliance will serve up the uniform we’ve been wearing,” said Zak Madell, Team Canada Wheelchair Rugby Player. “Honestly, I’m looking forward to finally being able to wear AND eat my country’s colours.”
Designers also noted that the cattle selected for the Olympic wear went through their own rigorous training and competition before being selected at the Calgary Cattle Training and Flavourizing Centre, a state-of-the-art $15 million facility built over the former Arts Commons.
Karen Shoemaker, head of the Canadian Paralympic Committee, stated, “We want to be clear that athletes that do not eat meat are obviously not required to eat their uniforms. But they do have to wear them during official ceremonies and competitions. Yes, even our swimmers.”
