Olympic Committees Get Early, Partial Ban in ‘Oly’ Trademark Row

A Chinese manufacturer is blocked from using branding related to the Olympic Games after a California federal judge granted an early injunction to the international and US Olympic committees while their trademark case is decided.

Xiamen Olymate Import & Export Co., Ltd. was sued in January for allegedly wrongfully exploiting Olympic intellectual property by using the trademark “OlyLife” to market its health and wellness products.

The International Olympic Committee and the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee contended that OlyLife’s actions suggested a false connection to the Olympics and violated the federal Olympic and Amateur Sports Act (OASA). The committees asserted ...