Star to sue sports firm over 'Yao Ming' brand
By Ni Yinbin |
May 13, 2011, Friday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
BASKETBALL star Yao Ming is suing a sports company in Hubei Province for registering his name as a brand without his permission, Team Yao said in Beijing yesterday.
The Yunhe Sharks Sports Co Ltd's "Yao Ming Era" brand had violated Yao's right to his name and image and also represented unfair competition, said Lu Hao, an agent for Yao at a press conference.
Lu said the aim of the lawsuit was to protect Yao's rights, to remind the public of such fraudulent activities, and to crackdown on unfair competition in order to also protect the rights of consumers.
The Wuhan Intermediate People's Court is to hear the case. The sports company is based in Wuhan City.
More details of the lawsuit will be released on Sunday, Lu said.
"We will demand a certain amount of compensation otherwise the cost of tort would be too low," Lu told reporters. "The number will be unveiled later and will not be symbolic as one yuan."
In 2003, Yao sued Coca-Cola, accusing the drinks company of violating his rights to his image by printing his picture on bottles. He asked for a symbolic compensation of 1 yuan (15 US cents). Yao won the case.
Without Yao's permission, the Wuhan company registered "Yao Ming Era" in the early 2000s and has been selling "Yao Ming Era" shoes and clothes across the country.
In the past few years, brands such as "Yao Ming," "Yao Ming Clan" and "Yao Ming Family" have appeared on the market without authorization.
"It has been years that many companies took advantage of Yao's reputation for unfair gains," Lu added.
"We have to take legislative methods to protect Yao Ming and the consumers' legal rights," Lu said.
The Yunhe Sharks Sports Co Ltd's "Yao Ming Era" brand had violated Yao's right to his name and image and also represented unfair competition, said Lu Hao, an agent for Yao at a press conference.
Lu said the aim of the lawsuit was to protect Yao's rights, to remind the public of such fraudulent activities, and to crackdown on unfair competition in order to also protect the rights of consumers.
The Wuhan Intermediate People's Court is to hear the case. The sports company is based in Wuhan City.
More details of the lawsuit will be released on Sunday, Lu said.
"We will demand a certain amount of compensation otherwise the cost of tort would be too low," Lu told reporters. "The number will be unveiled later and will not be symbolic as one yuan."
In 2003, Yao sued Coca-Cola, accusing the drinks company of violating his rights to his image by printing his picture on bottles. He asked for a symbolic compensation of 1 yuan (15 US cents). Yao won the case.
Without Yao's permission, the Wuhan company registered "Yao Ming Era" in the early 2000s and has been selling "Yao Ming Era" shoes and clothes across the country.
In the past few years, brands such as "Yao Ming," "Yao Ming Clan" and "Yao Ming Family" have appeared on the market without authorization.
"It has been years that many companies took advantage of Yao's reputation for unfair gains," Lu added.
"We have to take legislative methods to protect Yao Ming and the consumers' legal rights," Lu said.
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