Beware of communications surrounding the Paris games

On 26 July 2024 and 28 August 2024, the Paris Olympic Games and Paralympic Games respectively will get underway. 

It is of course very attractive for all French companies to show their support for this great project and the French teams, and to ‘ride’ this sporting wave in their communications. 

But be careful!

The Olympic and Paralympic Games Committees have quasi-absolute rights over the Olympic and Paralympic signs, including in particular: 

•  The emblems, flags, mottos, symbols, anthems, logos, mascots, slogans, posters and vintages of the “city + year” editions of the games, 
• The terms “Olympic Games”, “Paralympic Games”, “Olympism”, “Paralympism”, “Olympic”, “Paralympic”, “Olympiad”, “Paralympiad”, “Olympian”, “Olympienne”, “Paralympien” and “Paralympienne”, and the acronyms “JO” and “JP”.
   
  Unless it has been duly authorised by the committees, which is especially the case for official partners, it is impossible for a company to communicate about the Games without infringing the committees' rights to the Olympic and Paralympic symbols.

It should also be noted that the committees are particularly active in punishing these offences. 

This proactive approach is quite legitimate. Otherwise, the official partners would no longer have an interest in financing the Games if they did not have a real monopoly on the Olympic and Paralympic signs and the commercial spin-offs that go with them.

We would like to draw the attention of our readers to the fact that even a simple tweet or post on a social network that might seem like mere ‘information’ is considered by case law to infringe the rights of committees if it is issued by a commercial company.

In conclusion: no communication about the games without the authorisation of the committees!

Our specialist team will be happy to provide you with any further information you may require.