Terms of Use 

[Effective August 18, 2008]

Welcome to this official website of Chicago 2016. The following “Terms of Use” govern your use of this site. Please read these terms of use carefully. By using this site, you acknowledge that you accept these Terms of Use and that you agree to be bound by them. Check often for updates, as we reserve the right, in our sole discretion, to modify these Terms of Use at any time.

1. Intended Audience.

This website is intended for use by individuals who are at least thirteen (13) years of age, or children under the age of 13 who have their parent or guardian’s permission. Children under 13 must obtain parental permission to use this site. Chicago 2016, the United States Olympic Committee, the International Olympic Committee and their affiliates, officers, directors, members, employees, consultants, agents, and representatives will not be held responsible or incur any liability for any user under the age of 13 or any adult responsible for such a user.

2. Materials.

Unless otherwise noted, the content on this site and our Affiliated Sites (as described in paragraph 5 below), including but not limited to all information, text, articles, data, images, screens, badges, web pages, trademarks, tradenames, service marks, logos or other materials (collectively, the “Materials”), is the exclusive property of Chicago 2016 or others as indicated, and is subject to copyright, trademark, service mark, trade dress, patent and other intellectual property rights under United States and foreign laws and international conventions.  Chicago 2016 grants you a limited, revocable, non-exclusive license, with no right to sublicense, to use, access and display the Materials only in connection with your use of this site for personal, educational and non-commercial purposes.  The Materials may not be copied, displayed, distributed, downloaded, licensed, modified, published, reposted, reproduced, reused, sold, transmitted, or used to create derivative works, except as provided in these Terms of Use. You may not use any content contained in the Materials in any manner that may give a false or misleading impression or statement.  

Address any inquiries concerning usage of Chicago 2016’s trademarks, copyrights or other intellectual property to:

Chicago 2016
200 E. Randolph St., Suite 2016
Chicago, IL 60601
United States of America

Attention:  General Counsel

3. User Content.

Any information, data, text, files, images, photos, video, sounds, musical works, works of authorship, profiles (including your name, image, and likeness), reviews, messages, notes, text, and other content that you upload, publish, display, transmit, post or submit on or to this site or any Affiliated Site (“User Content”) will be subject to these Terms of Use. With respect to any User Content posted or submitted by you on or through this site or any Affiliated Site, you represent and warrant that: (i) you own or otherwise have the right to grant the license set forth below in this section with respect to such User Content, (ii) such User Content does not violate the privacy rights, publicity rights, copyrights, intellectual property rights, confidentiality rights, contract rights or any other rights of any person, and (iii) you agree to pay any and all royalties, fees, and any other monies owing any person arising in connection with such User Content appearing on this site or any Affiliated Site. If a third party claims that the posting or submission of any User Content by you is unlawful, you will bear the burden of establishing that it is lawful.

By uploading, publishing, displaying, transmitting, posting or submitting any User Content on or through this site or any Affiliated Site, you hereby grant to Chicago 2016 a limited, non-exclusive, worldwide, perpetual, irrevocable, fully paid-up, royalty-free, sublicensable right and license to use, modify, publicly perform, publicly display, reproduce, create derivative works of and distribute such User Content together with your name and location (city, state and / or country) for any purpose including, but not limited to, reproduction, disclosure to third parties, broadcasting, transmission, promotion, posting or otherwise in any media format or channel now known or hereafter developed.  This license does not entitle you to any payment from Chicago 2016 for any reason.  Uploading, transmitting or submitting User Content on or through this site or any Affiliated Site does not obligate Chicago 2016 or the owners of any Affiliated Site to publish, display or post such User Content publicly.

You further agree that you will not upload, publish, display, transmit, post or submit any User Content on or through this site or any Affiliated Site that is contrary to (i) the Chicago 2016 Community Guidelines, found at http://www.chicago2016.org/contact-us/pages/community.aspx, which may be updated from time to time, or (ii) applicable local, federal, or international laws and regulations. 

4. Copyright Policy.

If you own or represent the owner of any Material or User Content that you believe in good faith has been used in a way that constitutes copyright infringement, please send written notice to the Chicago 2016 Copyright Agent at dmca@chicago2016.org; Chicago 2016, 200 E. Randolph St., Suite 2016, Chicago, IL 60601 US, Attention:  General Counsel; or (312) 861-4500.

Any such notice must include the following: (i) identification and description of the copyrighted work that you claim has been infringed; (ii) the exact URL or location of the material that is claimed to be infringing; (iii) a statement by you that you have a good faith belief that the disputed use is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law; (iv) an electronic or physical signature of the person authorized to act on behalf of the owner of the copyright interest that is claimed to be infringed; (v) your name, address, telephone number, and email address; and (vi) a statement by you, made under penalty of perjury, that the information in your notice is accurate and that you are the copyright owner or are authorized to act on behalf of the copyright owner. 

Chicago 2016 does not control and is not responsible for Material appearing on Affiliated Sites.  If you believe that the copyright of any User Content or Material you own has been infringed on an Affiliated Site, you must contact the party that owns or operates that Affiliated Site.  Chicago 2016 is not obligated to take any action upon receiving notice of infringement on an Affiliated Site or any other site we do not control.

5. Affiliated Sites.

This Chicago 2016 site is affiliated with the websites of certain other entities which provide users with content and services, including, but not limited to, YouTube, Flickr, Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, Blip.tv, Connected Ventures, LLC (providers of Vimeo Technology), Tube Mogul, XP Apparel, LLC and Acceptiva, Inc. (the “Affiliated Sites”).  Some Affiliated Sites have been licensed to create web pages with the “look and feel” of a Chicago 2016 site, however, those Affiliated Sites are not owned by Chicago 2016 and Chicago 2016 may have limited control, or no control, over the content, services or operation of such Affiliated Sites, including User Content appearing on such Affiliated Sites.  When using the content or services provided on Affiliated Sites, users are subject to the terms of use and privacy policies of such Affiliated Sites in addition to the applicable provisions of the Chicago 2016 Terms of Use, Privacy Policy and Community Guidelines.

6. Links To Third Party Sites And Badges.

Any third party websites that are accessible via links on this site (including the Affiliated Sites) are not under the control of Chicago 2016. We are not responsible for and have no control over the content of any such site or any link contained in such a site, or any changes or updates to the information contained in such sites.  Linked sites, which include Affiliated Sites, are not owned by Chicago 2016 and are subject to the terms of use of their respective operators.  You should review the terms of use of each website you visit.  Chicago 2016 provides links to these sites as a convenience and the provision of such a link on this site does not imply Chicago 2016’s endorsement of such site, the organization operating such site, or any products or services of that organization.

Your linking to any off-site pages or other sites is entirely at your own risk. Under no circumstances will we be held responsible or liable, directly or indirectly, for any loss or damage that is caused or alleged to have been caused to you in connection with your use of, or reliance on, any content, goods or services available on any other site. We further disclaim all liability for any legal or other consequences (including for infringement of third party rights) of links to this site made by users of this site.

In addition, this site offers Chicago 2016 badges, which allow third parties to download Chicago 2016 badges and link back to this site, and which may contain Material. Chicago 2016’s provision of badges, and any Material provided thereon, is governed by these Terms of Use. 

7. Account Information.

Certain features of this site require that you create an account and become a “Member” of this site. You warrant and represent that the information you provide to register is correct, current, and complete (“Account Information”).  You are solely responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your Account Information.  You agree to notify Chicago 2016 immediately if you suspect any unauthorized use of your account or Account Information.  You are solely responsible for any and all use of your account, including any User Content posted, uploaded or transmitted using your account.  If you have reason to believe that your account is no longer secure, you must promptly change the affected Account Information and notify Chicago 2016 of the problem.

You may modify your Account Information or terminate your membership at any time by following the instructions on the Member’s account settings page.   

Becoming a member of an Affiliated Site does not make you a Member of this Site, nor does becoming a Member of this Site make you a member of any Affiliated Site.

8. Access to Site.

Chicago 2016 may refuse, restrict or suspend your access to this site at any time, without warning or notice, for any reason, in our sole discretion.  Chicago 2016 reserves the right to modify, suspend or terminate this site or any feature or portion thereof at any time, without warning or notice, for any reason, in our sole discretion. Chicago 2016 shall not be liable to you or any third party for modification, suspension or termination of your access to this site, or any modification, suspension or termination of this site or any feature or portion thereof.

9.    Rules Of Site Use.

If you use this site or any Affiliated Site, including becoming a Member, providing Account Information, participating in chat rooms and forums or by submitting User Content, e-mails or other information via this site, you must follow a few simple rules:

a)   You may not post, upload or transmit any messages or materials anonymously or under a false name or false e-mail address.

b)   While we do not seek to limit expression of ideas, certain materials and language will not be tolerated. You may not post, upload or transmit any material or links to materials that is libelous, defamatory, false, obscene, indecent, lewd, pornographic, violent, abusive, threatening, harassing, discriminatory, in violation of the law or that constitutes hate speech.

c)   You may not violate, plagiarize, or infringe on the rights of third parties, including copyright, trademark, trade secret, privacy, personal, publicity, moral or proprietary rights. Chicago 2016 reserves the right remove any User Content, for any reason or for no reason at our sole and absolute discretion, including if we are notified that such User Content allegedly infringes on another's intellectual property rights.

d)   You may not distribute or otherwise publish any material of a commercial nature or containing any solicitation of funds, advertising or solicitation for goods and services.

e)   You may not post, upload or transmit materials of a political nature, including endorsements of candidates, political parties, or political positions.

f)    You may not post, upload or transmit any software or other material which contains a virus or other harmful code or device.

g)   You may not use this site to distribute chain letters, mass mailings or “spam” or to gather e-mail addresses for the purpose of sending “spam” to other users of this site.

h)   Persons under the age of eighteen (18) must obtain parental permission before registering for chat rooms or forums or posting, uploading or transmitting material on or through this site. Children under the age of thirteen (13) are not eligible to participate in the chat rooms or forums or otherwise post, upload or transmit material or personal information on or through this site.

i)     Chicago 2016 does not and cannot review every message posted by you and is not responsible for any materials posted by others in chat rooms or forums or on or through this site. However, we have the right (but not the obligation) to delete, edit or move any material that we deem, in our sole discretion, to be in violation of the rules of the Chicago 2016 chat rooms or forums or these Terms of Use, or which we otherwise, in our sole discretion, consider to be objectionable, irrelevant or inappropriate.

j)    You agree to further abide by the Community Guidelines, available at http://www.chicago2016.org/contact-us/pages/community.aspx.

k)   By using this site, you agree to abide by these rules. You acknowledge that Chicago 2016 has the right to limit or terminate access to chat rooms or forums for any reason, including violation of the rules of Chicago 2016 chat rooms or forums or these Terms of Use.

l)     When you post content on an Affiliated Site you are subject to the terms of use and policies of such Affiliated Site as well as the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy of this site.  When you visit any Affiliate Site, you must follow that Affiliate’s applicable terms of use and privacy policy as well as the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy of this site.

10.    Online Shopping.  

The Chicago 2016 Online Store (the “Store”) allows you to order products (the “Merchandise”) and is managed by an independent merchandise vendor, XP Apparel, LLC (“XP”). In addition to these Terms of Use, purchases on the Store are subject to XP’s terms of use, sales and payment terms, returns policies, and privacy policies.  By placing an order on the Store, you agree to pay XP all amounts accrued in your account, including any applicable sales tax, shipping and handling charges, when due.  Your ability to purchase Merchandise is subject to limits established by Chicago 2016, XP or your credit card issuer.  Chicago 2016 or XP may, in their sole discretion, decline service to or terminate your site account without notice.

Chicago 2016 and XP reserve the right, in their sole discretion, without prior notice, to limit the order quantity on any product or service and/or to refuse service to any customer.

Questions relating to the Store, Merchandise, fulfillment or payment should be directed to XP at XP APPAREL, LLC, 400 Quivas St., Denver, CO 80204, phone: 303-762-1900 or toll-free: 1-800-339-0859. 

11.   Donations.  

The Chicago 2016 Online Donation Center (the “Donation Center”) allows you to support Chicago’s Olympic bid through monetary donations and is managed by an independent provider, Acceptiva, Inc.  In addition to these Terms and Conditions, donations made through Acceptiva are subject to Acceptiva’s terms of use, payment terms, and privacy policies.  By placing making a donation on the Donation Center, you agree to be responsible for all applicable tax implications to you arising from such donation.  Your ability to contribute through the Donation Center is subject to limits established by Chicago 2016, Acceptiva, or your credit card issuer.  Chicago 2016 or Acceptiva may, in their sole discretion, decline service to or terminate your site account without notice.

Questions relating to the Donation Center and donations should be directed to Acceptiva at Acceptiva, Inc., PO Box 104, Snoqualmie, WA 98065, phone: 1-800-507-3871; or contact Chicago 2016 at give@chicago2016.org.

12.   Representation And Warranty.

You represent and warrant that (a) any material you post, upload or transmit to the Chicago 2016 website or any Affiliated Site, including chat rooms or forums, does not and will not violate any rules of Chicago 2016 chat rooms or forums (including the “Rules of Site Use” above) or these Terms of Use, and that (b) your use of this site complies with these Terms of Use and your use of any Affiliate Site also complies with the terms of use of the applicable Affiliated Site.

13.   Indemnity.

You agree that you will indemnify and hold harmless Chicago 2016, the United States Olympic Committee and the International Olympic Committee and their directors, officers, employees, members and licensees from any and all claims, liabilities, cost or expenses, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, arising from (1) your breach of any of the above representations and warranties, (2) your use of this site or any Affiliated Site, (3) the materials you have posted, uploaded or transmitted in Chicago 2016 chat rooms or forums or on or through this site or any Affiliated Site, or (4) Chicago 2016’s publication, distribution or use of such materials.

14.             Third Party Content.

This site may contain information provided by third parties. Chicago 2016 makes no representation or warranty regarding the accuracy, truth, quality, suitability or reliability of such information and is not responsible for any errors, omissions, or inaccuracies contained in any information provided by such third parties. Chicago 2016 does not endorse, warrant or guarantee any opinions, products or services offered on this site. We are not a party to, and do not monitor, any transaction between users and third party providers of products or services.

15.   Disclaimer Of Warranties.

The contents of this site and all Affiliated Sites, including, without limitation, the Materials, are provided “as is,” and Chicago 2016 makes no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, with respect to this site, any Affiliated Site or their contents. Chicago 2016 disclaims all representations and warranties of any kind, including, without limitation, warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, title and noninfringement. Chicago 2016 does not represent or warrant that the information accessible via this site is accurate, complete or current. This site could contain typographical errors or technical inaccuracies.

Use of this site is at your own risk. Chicago 2016 does not warrant that the function or operation of this site will be uninterrupted or error-free, that defects will be corrected, or that this site or the server that makes it available will be free of viruses or other harmful elements. We are not responsible for any damage to your computer or loss of data that results from the download of material or information from this site. You assume full responsibility for any costs associated with servicing of equipment used in connection with your use of this site.

Information on this site is provided to the public as a source of general information and should not be used as the basis for formulating business decisions. This information is not comparable to, and should not be used in substitution for, professional advice given with full knowledge of the specific circumstances of each case and proficiency in the laws of the relevant jurisdiction. Information included on this site may not be relevant to or accurate for all jurisdictions.

16.   Limitation Of Liability.

None of  Chicago 2016, the United States Olympic Committee, the International Olympic Committee or any of their officers, members, directors, affiliates, employees or other representatives will be liable for any direct, incidental, indirect, special, consequential or exemplary damages or otherwise, arising out of or in connection with the use of this site, any Affiliated Site or any information contained herein or therein even if advised of the possibility thereof. This limitation of liability is comprehensive and applies to all damages of any kind, including, without limitation, loss of data, income or profit, loss of or damage to property and claims of third parties.

You have sole responsibility for adequate protection and backup of data and / or equipment used in connection with this site and agree, by using this site, that you will not make any claim against Chicago 2016 for lost data, re-run time, inaccurate output, work delays or lost profits resulting from the use of the materials. As a visitor to and a user of this site, you agree that all access and use of this site and its contents are at your own risk.

17.   Submissions.

While we welcome your comments and feedback regarding this site and Affiliated Sites, Chicago 2016 is under no obligation to respond to correspondence received through this site or Affiliated Sites, to maintain your submitted comments in confidence, or to pay compensation of any kind for your comments or submissions. We do not wish to receive any confidential or proprietary ideas, suggestions, materials, or information via this site or any e-mail connection. All unsolicited comments, feedback, ideas, suggestions, and other submissions that are disclosed or submitted to Chicago 2016 through this site shall become and remain the property of Chicago 2016. Any such submission by you is a declaration of the full release of all proprietary claims and / or intellectual rights regarding your submission.

18.   Privacy.

All uses of your personal information will be treated in accordance with Chicago 2016’s Privacy Policy for this site. If you use this site, you are accepting the terms and conditions of the Privacy Policy. If you use any Affiliated Site, you are accepting the terms and conditions of such site including such Affiliated Site’s privacy policy. If you do not agree to have your information used in any of the ways described in the Privacy Policy, you must discontinue use of this site or the applicable Affiliated Site.

19.   Changes To These Terms Of Use.

Chicago 2016 reserves the right to modify these Terms of Use at any time without notice, by updating this posting. Your continued use of this site or any Affiliated Site after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of these Terms of Use as modified. You should check this page periodically, accessible via a link from the homepage, for any modifications.

20.   Governing Law.

These Terms of Use will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Illinois and the United States of America, without regard to any principles of conflicts of law. You agree that any action at law or in equity that arises out of or relates to these Terms of Use will be filed only in the state or federal courts located in Chicago, Illinois, United States of America.

21.   Complete Agreement.

These Terms of Use, together with the Chicago 2016 Privacy Policy and Community Guidelines, represent the entire understanding relating to the use of this site and prevail over any prior or contemporaneous, conflicting or additional, communications.

22.   Severability.

If any provision of these Terms of Use shall for any reason and to any extent be determined by any tribunal of competent jurisdiction to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions of these Terms of Use shall be interpreted so as best to reasonably effect the intent of the parties. The parties further agree that any such invalid or unenforceable provisions shall be deemed replaced with valid and enforceable provisions that, to the extent possible, are coextensive with the business purposes and intent of such invalid and unenforceable provisions.

23.   International Users.

This site is controlled and operated within the United States. Chicago 2016 makes no representation that content, materials or products available on or through this site are appropriate or available for use outside of the United States. If you access this site from a location outside the United States, you are responsible for compliance with applicable laws, including U.S. export laws and regulations. By using this site and submitting any personal information, visitors from outside of the United States acknowledge that this site is subject to U.S. law, consent to the transfer of personal data to the U.S., and waive any claims that may arise under their own national laws.

Additionally, you agree to comply with all local rules regarding online conduct and acceptable User Content.  Specifically, you agree to comply with all applicable laws regarding the transmission of technical data exported from the United States or the country in which you reside.

24.   Contacting Us.

If you have any questions or comments concerning our Terms of Use, please contact us via e-mail at info@chicago2016.org or send a letter to:

Chicago 2016
200 E. Randolph Street, Suite 2016
Chicago, IL 60601
United States of America

Attention: Vice President of IT and Web Development