Counterfeiters Shoot for World Cup Goal

01 November 2012

Customs authorities in Shanghai have seized 1,000 footballs marked with “World Cup 2010” set for export to the Mauritius by a Guangdong-based company, according to officials at the State Intellectual Property Office.

The exporter mixed the footballs with other sports items in a container in an effort to slip through customs, the report said. Customs officials decided to open the container for investigation after judging it had a high risk of carrying counterfeit materials.

The Fédération Internationale de Football Association, the governing body of the World Cup, confirmed the balls infringed on the organization’s exclusive use of the World Cup trademark.

SIPO reported that the seizure was the second infringement that Shanghai customs investigated related to the month-long soccer gala in South Africa. In October 2009, a shipment of 1,000 footballs destined for Norway and carrying the “South Africa 2010” trademark was found to be an unauthorized use of the trademark.

Tags: SIPO

Law firms

China

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