Telstra modified its promotion of an app by official Olympic broadcaster Seven Network to clear up confusion over its involvement with the Games. The ad had said: "Official technology partner of Seven's Olympic Games coverage".

Telstra had modified the promotion after receiving legal threats from the AOC to make "clear that Telstra is not an official sponsor of the Olympic Games, the Australian Olympic team or of the Australian or International Olympic Committees".

"It is, however, not enough for the AOC to prove that the advertisements were Olympic-themed. Were they so, any advertisement over the next month that used Peter Allen's I Go To Rio song (and it is not difficult to imagine that everyone will be heartily sick of that same by the end of the Rio Games) or images of people playing or watching sport, might equally be accused of misleadingly associating themselves with the Olympics Games or Olympic bodies," Justice Wigney said.

"It may also be readily accepted that the fact that the advertisements, marketing and promotions did not expressly refer to any Olympic body, or use any Olympic symbols or emblems is not determinative. An association can be conveyed by subtle, emotive or pervasive suggestion."

The AOC and IOC have strict rules in place governing brand association with the Olympics and the use of terms such as partner, though there have been many high-profile cases involving so-called "ambush marketing" at previous Games.