Notice from CNIPA about Imposing Strict Combating on Malicious Actions to Register Trademarks for Hot Words in Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics Games

Since 2019, for the purpose of seeking improper benefits, a small number of enterprises and individuals have taken malicious actions to register trademarks for hot words in Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics Games, such as the names of the mascots and athletes. These enterprises and individuals have entrusted the agencies to submit the trademark registration applications by illegally using the name of Winter Olympic Games and Winter Paralympic Games and OCOG, which has infringed on athletes' right of name and other legitimate rights and have brought severely negative impacts on society and damaged the good image of our country's strict protection of intellectual property.

In this regard, CNIPA (China National Intellectual Property Administration) imposed strict combating on the phenomena. According to the Olympic Insignia Protection Regulations and Item (8), Paragraph 1, Article 10 of Trademark Law, 429 applying trademarks are rejected including App. No. 41128524 "冰墩墩(Bing Dwen Dwen)"and App. No.s 41128524 & 62453532 "谷爱凌(Eileen Gu)". In terms of Paragraph 1, Article 44 of Trademark Law, 43 authorized trademarks, including Register No. 41126916 "雪墩墩 (Xue Dwen Dwen)" and No. 38770198 "谷爱凌(Eileen Gu)", are declared invalid initiatively.