Olympic Athletes Warned on Team USA Gear

At the Wall Street Journal, "Olympic Athletes Cautioned on Wearing Team USA Clothing Outside Venues: USOC Memo Warns Athletes Amid Security Concerns":

Own a piece of American history with the Limited-Edition #TeamUSA Opening Ceremony Cardigan http://t.co/8HsNbJfg3e pic.twitter.com/8yCigDSKoZ

— Ralph Lauren (@RalphLauren) January 23, 2014

The U.S. unveiled more of its Winter Olympic uniforms Thursday, but officials are cautioning athletes to keep theirs under wraps outside the games' venues.

A memo sent to athletes by the U.S. Olympic Committee cautions them to avoid wearing team colors too prominently in Sochi amid heightened concerns about security in the southern Russian resort town.

"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," says the memo, which was reviewed by The Wall Street Journal.

The memo details other steps that athletes can take to ensure their safety while in Sochi, including enrolling in a State Department traveler program.

Greg Bretz, a snowboard half-pipe rider preparing for his second Olympics, said in an interview Thursday that U.S. Olympic officials "have told us not to wear our USA gear outside of the venues," but added, "I have so much faith in the United States and our safety that I'm not too worried about it."

Yeah. No worries. They've got a ring of steel around the area. It's outside the area where you'll probably be blown to bits.