LOCAL telecommunications companies Digicel and LIME created controversy at the Norman Manley International Airport yesterday.

The rivals were forced to remove banners being flown outside the terminal building ahead of the arrival of several athletes from the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

100m and 200m silver medallist and sprint relay winner Yohan Blake; 200m bronze medallist Warren Weir; 110m hurdles bronze medallist Hansle Parchment; 4x400m bronze medallist Rosemarie Whyte; 4x100m winner Kemar Bailey Cole and triple jump finalist Kimberley Williams were among the arrivals.

Although Digicel is a team sponsor of the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA), it does not sponsor any individual athlete who arrived yesterday, while Blake is sponsored by LIME.

Athletes who compete at the Olympic Games are contractually obligated by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to have their images used on any advertisement by companies sponsoring the world governing body.

However, that contract period which began on July 15 closed on August 15. The athletes could not exit the terminal building until the flags were removed.

A member of the JOA who did not wish to be named told the Jamaica Observer it was a breach of rules to have the banners flown at the airport.