Intellectual Property Protection for the Winter Olympics

Intellectual Property Protection for the Winter Olympics
At present, the Beijing Winter Olympic Games are still being carried out in an orderly manner, but the protection of intellectual property rights of the Beijing Winter Olympic Games has been fully started, and a four-in-one protection method of trademark, copyright, special logo and Olympic logo has been formed. The principle that "no one is allowed to use the Olympic logo for business without the permission of the right holder of the Olympic logo" has been confirmed. Liu Yan, a special expert on legal affairs of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Winter Olympic Games, said, "BOCOG and BOCOG attach great importance to the acquisition, use, management, protection and transfer of intellectual property rights, which have been widely praised by public opinion at home and abroad and all walks of life".
According to the "Regulations on the Protection of Olympic Symbols" (hereinafter referred to as the "Regulations"), the right holders of Olympic symbols refer to the International Olympic Committee, the Chinese Olympic Committee, the institutions in China that apply to host the Olympic Games, and the organizations of the Olympic Games held in China. According to Chen Shaoling, an associate professor at East China University of Political Science and Law, there are three main rights holders of intellectual property rights for the Winter Olympics, namely, the International Olympic Committee, the Chinese Olympic Committee, and the Chinese Winter Olympics and Paralympics Organizing Committee.

OnLiu Yizhou, head of the copyright and trademark litigation department of Haihai Huacheng Law Firm, said that the Olympic logo includes emblems, mascots, sports icons, torches, slogans, etc. As far as the surrounding products of the Winter Olympic Games are concerned, such as products with the emblem, mascot and related rights and interests of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, only licensed manufacturers and licensed sellers authorized by the Olympic Organizing Committee have the right to design, produce and sell. The list of manufacturers, retailers, and retail stores that have obtained relevant authorization is also clearly announced on the official website of the Olympic Organizing Committee, and relevant consumers can pay attention to it during the purchase process. Chen Shaoling reminded that "the Olympic logo is not a trademark, but the object of special legislative protection under the Regulations. Trademarks have categories of goods or services approved for registration, but the Olympic logo does not have a category of approved registration and can be protected in all categories".

What acts would involve intellectual property infringement of the Winter Olympics? For example, the printing of the Beijing Olympic Games emblem, mascot or Olympic rings on the packaging of goods, and the use of the word "Olympics" or the words "Beijing 2022" in advertisements, without the permission of the right holder, are infringements. Liu Yizhou, for example, said that common violations of Olympic intellectual property rights by non-Winter Olympics sponsoring enterprises include: disseminating short videos with Winter Olympics elements; Using relevant logos of the Winter Olympics on publicity posters; Winter Olympic athletes are their spokesmen, and at the same time use relevant elements of the Winter Olympics in endorsement activities; Manufacturing and selling commodities with fake Winter Olympics logos; Squatting slogans and logos related to the Winter Olympics.
The high-level protection of intellectual property rights of the Olympic Games is not only a solemn commitment to the international community when China bid for the Winter Olympic Games, but also a window for China to show a high level of intellectual property protection again. Professor Cong Lixian of the School of Intellectual Property of East China University of Political Science and Law said, "Intellectual property rights as intangible assets play a core role in promoting the development of the sports industry, without intellectual property rights, that is, there is no modern sports industry. At the same time, the intellectual property legal system through the effective protection of intellectual property assets, to maintain the core competitiveness of the sports industry, so that the sports industry healthy and orderly development, for the sports industry to play a role in escort".