Firstly, an apology from me. When I thought a number of US athletes in the Opening Ceremony parade were wearing their caps back to front, I didn't realise that they were actually wearing a special parade cap (illustrated, right). The official fashion designers for the US Olympic team is a company called Roots - see the press release on the USOC website issued on Saturday, after the Opening Ceremony.

But the Australian camp has continued to cop flak over their uniforms. "Look at our mob of lawn bowlers" has been one of the many cries of condemnation. "The Land" newspaper reported on Wednesday that the Australian wool industry was "in damage control". The general manager of wool operations for the Woolmark Company, who made the uniforms, was putting his own spin (groan!) on things.

In a yarn (grooan!) to the editor of the Australian edition of Vogue Magazine, Andrew Walton said the garments were "a hit" and had the biggest mainstream media publicity for Australian wool in years. Walton went on to say that the uniforms are 70 per cent cotton anyway.

Woolmark's contract to supply uniforms to the Australian Olympic teams expires after Athens 2004 and is not expected to be renewed.

Read The Land's report (free registration required). See also the Woolmark Athens 2004 website, which contains photos of the Australian uniforms.