Brief Introduction

Design firm HZS was found to be involved in the unauthorized use of Beijing's bid to host the 2022 Winter Olympics on an advertisement for a project in Chongli district, Zhangjiakou, Hebei province on its own website by the administration for market regulation of Shanghai's Jing'an district in July 2019.

According to authorities, the company used the Olympic symbols for commercial use without authorization, violating the Regulations on the Protection of Olympic Symbols.

The district's administration for market regulation held that HZS used the symbols and the proper noun "Winter Olympics" for commercial use without the permission of the rights holder.

It urged HZS to stop infringing and imposed a fine of 200,000 yuan ($30,885) on the firm.

Professional Comments

The rights to special signs are a type of intellectual property. The Olympic symbol is the most prominent and important symbol associated with the event. All countries have legislated to protect it. China formulated the Regulations on the Protection of Olympic Symbols in 2002.

Market regulation authorities have taken the initiative to protect the intellectual property rights of the Olympic symbols, offering a successful case that can serve as a reference for China to better protect the symbols.