East Germany, in a policy reversal, has...

East Germany, in a policy reversal, has begun commercializing sports events.

Neues Deutschland, the Communist Party’s official newspaper, said that the decision was made “to take into account new realities in justifiable ways.�

The newspaper said that expenditures for equipment and other necessities for competition in international events were growing constantly and required more funding.

The policy already has taken effect as ads for West German companies were in evidence at the East German Olympic swim qualification trials as well as at the national track and field trials, which both ended Sunday.