U.S. Olympic athletes have been warned by the State Department not to wear their uniforms outside the Olympic venues in Sochi, Russia, because of security concerns.
The Wall Street Journal reported Friday on a memo that the U.S. Olympic Committee had circulated to U.S. competitors.
“The U.S. Department of State has advised that wearing conspicuous Team USA clothing in non-accredited areas may put your personal safety at greater risk,” the memo said.
Security guidance is common for Olympic athletes, the Journal reported, but at least one veteran Olympian told the newspaper that the warnings about wearing the national uniform outside official venues was new.
Suicide bombings by separatist groups have led members of Congress to raise concerns about security at the Sochi Olympics. Russian officials have reportedly implemented some of the most extensive security measures ever for an Olympic event to assuage those worries.
