A few paralympic champions were disqualified in the past on the ground that the famous Olympic rings they had tattooed on their bodies could be seen during the competitions and this was forbidden by the rule set out by the International Paralympic Committee. The Olympic rings have been registered as trademarks in many countries and generate substantial revenue, and the rule was said to be justified due to a “risk of confusion” – a concept well-known to trademark specialists. The rule against those with Olympic Rings tattoos nonetheless raised many questions and the ban was lifted right before the beginning of the Paris Paralympic Games. Our French attorneys explain why this use of a registered trademark raised questions and some lessons to be learned from the actions of the Paralympic Committee actions. Check out the full post on our Sports Shorts blog here.
