The IOC says it’s looking for a new sponsor after Taiwanese computer company Acer pulled out as a member of the TOP Olympic sponsorship programme. Asus or Lenovo, anyone?

Gerhard Heiberg, the head of the IOC’s marketing team, said Acer would not necessarily be replaced by another computer company, but you have to think the most obvious replacements are like-for-like ones, with Lenovo and Acer also ticking the Asian box left empty by Acer’s departure.

One reason why that may not happen, though, is a fear of sponsorship overlap, with other companies encroaching on the “computer” category, something that Heiberg added may lead to changes as a result.

He said a replacement would be found within the year and admitted that the IOC was already in talks with PC producers as well as some other companies.

Don’t expect a rash of signings, though. The IOC already has 10 sponsors signed up to its TOP sponsorship programme for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, and has put the maximum number at 12.